OF  CALIFORWA 
T'iUR:   RIVERSIDF 


7  <~>  r 

QUARTER-CENTENNIAL  HISTORY 


UNIVERSITY  OF  KANSAS, 


1866  —  1891. 


WITH  PORTRAITS  OP  CHANCELLORS. 


EDITED    I1Y 


WILSON  STERLING. 


TOPKKA,  KANSAS: 
GEO.  W.  CRANE   &  CO. 

1891. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

POUTKAIT  OF  FRANCIS  HUNTINGTON  SNOW,  CHANCEL- 
LOB.  (Frontispiece.) 

THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  STATE  UNIVEKSITIES.  J.  B. 
ANGELL,  L.  L.  D., 5 

PORTRAIT  OF   R.  W.  OLIVER,  CHANCELLOR  FKOM  1S65 

TO  1867.  (  Facing  page  41.) 
IIlSTOHY  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  KANSAS.     WlLSON 

STERLING, 41 

PORTRAIT  OF  JOHN  FRASER,  CHANCELLOR  FKOM  1868 

TO  1874.  (Facing  page  103.) 
HISTORY  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY.     CARRIE  M. 

WATSON 103 

PORTRAIT  OF  JAMES  MARVIN,  CHANCELLOR   FROM 

1874  TO  1883.  (Facing  page  129.) 
STUDENT    LIFE  AT   THE   UNIVERSITY  OF    KANSAS. 

ARTHUR  G.  CANFIELU, 129 

PORTRAIT  OF  J.  A.  LIPPINCOTT,  CHANCELLOR  FKOM 

1883  TO  1889.   (Facing  page  159.) 
REMINISCENCES.     D.  II.  ROBINSON 159 


F.  H.  SNOW. 


THE 

DEVELOPMENT  OF  STATE  UNIVERSITIES. 


Address  delivered  in  University  Hall  June  gth,  1891, 

BY  .1.   IJ.  AN(iELL, 
PRESIDENT  OP  MICHIGAN  UNIVERSITY. 


THIS  day  makes  a  landmark  in  the  history  of 
this  University.  Her  sons  and  her  daughters 
have  gathered  from  far  and  from  near  to  cele- 
brate the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  her  birth. 
A  quarter  of  a  century  has  elapsed  since  she 
first  opened  her  hospitable  doors  and  invited  the 
youth  from  all  parts  of  this  broad  State  to  enter 
and  receive  a  college  education  almost  without 
money  and  without  price.  The  marvel  is  that 
so  early  in  the  hard  and  troubled  life  of  this 
State  the  institution  was  prepared  to  make  this 
generous  offer.  Kansas  had  been  born  into 
statehood  five  years  before,  only  after  throes  of 
violence  which  shook  the  whole  nation  to  its 
extremities. 

At  its  very  birth,  the  storms  of  the  great  Civil 
War  broke  upon  its  head,  and  deluged  all  thisbor- 


G  Development  of  State  Universities. 

der,  including  this  fair  town  itself,  with  blood. 

O 

But  in  the  very  midst  of  the  war,  more  than  a 
year  before  the  surrender  of  Lee  at  Appomattox, 
the  Legislature,  by  the  act  of  March  1,  1864, 
laid  the  foundations  of  this  University.  They 
thus  showed  at  once  their  interest  in  sound  learn- 
ing and  their  faith  in  the  future  of  the  State  and 
of  the  nation.  What  a  flash  of  light  is  thrown 
back  on  the  days  in  which  this  institution  sprang 
into  life  by  those  significant  words  of  the  stat- 
ute, providing  that  free  admission  to  its  privi- 
leges should  be  granted  to  "the  orphans  of 
deceased  soldiers  and  those  made  so  by  the 
Quantrell  raid."  This  University  was  thus  in 
its  very  cradle  baptized  into  the  spirit  of  patri- 
otism and  devotion  to  the  Union. 

It  was  by  no  mere  accident  that,  in  spite  of 
the  dreadful  contests  which  ravaged  this  region 
from  1855,  vigorous  efforts  were  from  early  days 
repeatedly  made  to  provide  for  common  schools 
and  for  schools  of  collegiate  rank.  For  a  large 
proportion  of  the  settlers  had  come  from  States 
where  the  common  school  flourished.  Not  a 
few  of  them  had  received  academic  or  even  col- 
legiate training.  The  best  blood  of  New  En- 
gland coursed  in  the  veins  of  many  of  them. 
Come  peace  or  come  war,  they  were  determined 


Development  of  State  Universities.  7 

that,  their  children  should  be  educated.  If  their 
zeal  for  education  at  times  outran  their  wisdom, 
as  would  seem  to  be  indicated  by  the  statement 
of  the  historian  that  eighteen  universities  and 
ten  colleges  were  incorporated  in  the  Territory 
between  1855  and  1800,  yet  this  fact  enables  us 
to  understand  how  the  conception  of  the  plan 
of  this  University  was  possible  even  in  the  very 
agonies  of  war.  There  is  something  pathetic 
in  this  eager  desire  for  the  planting  of  colleges 
and  universities,  even  when,  fortunately  as  we 
must  believe,  circumstances  made  it  impossible 
for  more  than  three  of  the  twenty-eight  which 
were  planted  to  secure  existence. 

Compared  with  the  present,  the  days  of  the 
founding  of  this  institution  were  the  days  of 
small  things.  This  new,  prosperous  and  beau- 
tiful city  had  then  only  about  4,000  inhabitants. 
A  large  portion  of  the  territory  of  this  State  was 
entirely  unsettled.  In  1865  the  population  of 
the  State  was  only  135,807.  By  the  census  of 
1890,  it  is  reported  to  be  1,427,000.  In  18G6 
the  taxable  property  of  the  State  was  $50,000,- 
000.  Now  it  is  more  than  $348,000,000. 

The  heavy  burden  of  establishing  all  the  char- 
itable, penal  and  educational  institutions,  which 
an  American  State  with  its  broad  ideas  of  civiliza- 


8  Development  of  State  Universities. 

tion  deems  essential,  was  resting  on  the  citizens, 
many  of  whom  had  hardly  built  for  themselves 
comfortable  homes.  Not  a  few  were  yet  living 
in  huts  of  sods. 

But,  while  thus  engaged  in  the  hard  struggles 
which  have  always  come  to  those  who  have  the 
glory  of  founding  and  building  new  States,  they 
bated  not  one  jot  of  hope  for  the  future.  With 
an  enthusiasm  which  was  contagious  and  inspir- 
ing, they  fired  every  newcomer  with  their  own 
unquenchable  faith  in  the  coming  glory  of  Kan- 
sas. They  sounded  its  praises  from  the  Kaw  to 
the  Atlantic.  The  fact  that  the  Territory  after 
a  fearful  contest  had  been  won  as  the  prize  of 
freedom  drew  to  this  soil  the  high-spirited,  brave- 
hearted  men  and  women  in  whose  souls  the  Civil 
War  had  kindled  a  passion  for  freedom.  They 
flocked  hither  by  thousands,  feeling  that  here 
they  stood  on  holy  ground,  consecrated  by  the 
blood  of  those  who  had  fallen  as  martyrs  in  the 
cause  of  liberty. 

When  we  consider  what  sort  of  men  were  liv- 
ing here  twenty-five  years  ago,  we  are  not  sur- 
prised that  they  gladly  availed  themselves  of  the 
aid  proffered  them  by  the  Government  of  the 
United  States  in  seventy-two  sections  of  land  to- 
wards building  a  university.  They  were  men 


Development  of  State  Universities.  9 

of  high  intelligence  and  character.  They  longed 
for  the  advantages  of  the  best  education  for  their 
children.  They  were  firm  believers  in  the  neces- 
sity of  education  to  the  prosperity  of  the  State. 
But  they  had  not  the  means  of  endowing  col- 
leges. They  could  not  afford  to  send  their 
children  to  the  remote  institutions  in  the  East. 
Unless  the  State  with  the  aid  of  the  national 
endowment  should  build  up  a  college  or  univer- 
sity, a  generation  or  two  might  be  deprived  of 
the  blessings  of  such  an  education  as  many  of 
these  settlers  had  received  in  the  East.  But  the 
State,  by  imposing  so  slight  a  burden  upon  the 
taxpayers  as  scarcely  to  be  felt,  might  make  pro- 
vision for  imparting  to  their  children  an  educa- 
tion comparable  to  that  in  the  colleges  in  the 
older  States. 

So,  in  spite  of  all  the  turmoil  and  excitement 
of  those  early  years  in  the  life  of  the  State,  the 
foundations  of  the  University  were  securely  laid. 
The  generosity  of  the  General  Government, 
which,  acting  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of 
the  great  Ordinance  of  1787,  had  set  aside  two 
townships  of  land  as  a  university  endowment, 
and  the  generosity  of  the  State,  which  out  of  its 
poverty  undertook  to  do  what  it  could  for  the 
nascent  institution,  were  most  liberally  supple- 


10          Development  of  State  Universities. 

niented  by  the  generosity  of  this  city,  which  has 
repeatedly  shown  its  deep  interest  in  the  Uni- 
versity by  its  large  contributions  for  ground  and 
buildings. 

Like  every  similar  institution,  this  University 
met  with  its  share  of  delays  and  difficulties  and 
disappointments.  But  under  the  leadership  of 
courageous  and  energetic  men  it  has  pushed  its 
way  to  the  point  where  it  has  become  the  pride 
of  the  State,  and  where  its  future,  we  trust,  is 
secure.  When  the  commencement  exercises  of 
to-morrow  are  ended,  it  will  have  graduated  in 
its  twenty-five  years  of  existence  about  300  from 
its  collegiate  department,  and  about  600  from 
all  departments.  More  than  1,600  others  who 
could  not  remain  to  graduate  have  pursued  liberal 
studies  here  for  some  years.  What  a  reinforce- 
ment are  these  hundreds  of  men  and  women, 
who  are  occupying  various  positions  of  useful- 
ness and  honor,  to  the  intellectual  and  moral 
strength  of  the  State.  The  University  has  now 
an  income  of  $84, 000  a  year.  It  has  more  than 
thirty  teachers,  and  among  them  are  men  of  na- 
tional reputation,  whom  some  of  the  older  and 
larger  universities  would  be  very  glad  to  bor- 
row from  you.  It  has  a  large  outfit  of  the  ap- 
pliances for  teaching  the  sciences  according  to 


Development  of  State  Universities.          11 

the  modern  methods.  In  a  word,  it  is  furnishing 
excellent  instruction  in  that  variety  of  work  now 
expected  of  good  classical  and  scientific  colleges, 
schools  of  pharmacy  and  schools  of  law.  Nor 
is  there  any  good  reason  why  you  may  not  easily 
add  a  school  of  medicine  and,  perhaps,  a  school 
of  dentistry.  I  applaud  your  courage  and  your 
wisdom  in  relegating  to  your  high  schools  the 
preparatory  work.  Your  new  arrangement  will 
prove  better  for  you  and  better  for  the  schools, 
provided  you  and  they  keep  in  close  touch  with 
each  other.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say,  that 
in  its  twenty-five  years  of  existence  this  Univer- 
sity has  made  more  progress  than  Harvard  Col- 
lege made  in  two  centuries  from  its  foundation. 
Rather  than  be  impatient  that  the  development 
of  this  youthful  institution  has  not  been  more 
rapid,  you  should  give  thanks  that  it  has  gone 
forward  at  so  swift  a  pace.  No  doubt  you  can 
see  where  mistakes  have  been  made  in  the  con- 
duct of  its  affairs.  But  after  all  you  have  very 
much  to  be  grateful  for  in  what  has  been  accom- 
plished, and  you  are  looking  forward  with  well- 
grounded  hopes  to  larger  successes  in  the  future. 
It  is  with  peculiar  pleasure  that  I  come  to 
bring  you  the  salutation  of  a  sister  university, 
and  to  assure  you  that  she  most  heartily  rejoices 


12          Development  of  State  Universities. 

with  you  in  all  your  rejoicing  over  what  has  been 
achieved,  and  in  all  your  bright  hopes  of  triumph 
in  the  future.  There  is  so  much  that  is  similar 
in  the  history  and  the  situation  of  all  the  state 
universities,  that  each  is  profoundly  concerned  in 
the  prosperity  of  all  the  rest.  The  failure  of  any 
one  weakens,  the  success  of  any  one  strengthens, 
all  the  others.  I  have  come  to  you  from  afar 
rather  to  testify  by  my  presence  on  this  your 
festal  day  to  this  deep  interest,  which  we  in 
Michigan  feel  in  your  welfare,  than  from  the  ex- 
pectation that  any  words  of  mine  can  add  much 
to  your  knowledge  or  inspiration. 

As  we  assemble  here  to-day  for  this  significant 
celebration,  we  must  reflect  with  gratitude  upon 
this  fact,  that  state  universities  have  so  much 
stronger  a  hold  upon  public  regard  than  they  had 
when  this  University  was  established.  There  is 
perhaps  no  more  conspicuous  feature  in  the  his- 
tory of  American  education  of  late  years  than 
the  rapid  and  brilliant  development  of  state  uni- 
versities. From  Ohio  to  the  Pacific,  from  North 
Dakota  to  Texas,  nearly  every  State  has  estab- 
lished or  is  preparing  to  establish  a  university  on 
the  foundation  of  the  United  States  land  grants 
of  two  townships  to  each  State.  During  the  last 
quarter  of  a  century  some  of  these  have  grown 


Development  of  State  Universities.          13 

with  extraordinary  rapidity  in  resources,  number 
of  teachers,  and  attendance  of  students,  and  in 
excellence  and  variety  of  instruction.  A  few  of 
them  need  fear  no  comparison  with  the  strongest 
and  oldest  and  most  richly  endowed  universities 
in  the  East.  They  are  so  firmly  established  in 
public  favor,  the  advantages  of  maintaining  them 
have  become  so  obvious  to  the  taxpayers,  that 
while  they  may  not  always  secure  so  large  legis- 
lative appropriations  as  they  desire,  the  question 
of  giving  them  what  is  deemed  a  fair  support  is 
in  few  or  no  States  longer  open  to  discussion. 
Indeed,  when  we  remember  how  many  educa- 
tional, charitable  and  penal  institutions  a  new 
State  must  provide,  how  much  the  construction 
of  roads  and  drains  must  cost,  how  much  toil 
the  earning  of  a  dollar  in  ready  money  in  a  new 
region  involves,  and  how  many  of  the  taxpayers 
never  see  the  state  university,  and  have  no  very 
accurate  conception  of  its  life  and  work,  the  won- 
der is,  not  that  the  appropriations  for  the  state 
universities  have  been  so  moderate,  but  that  they 
have  been  so  large.  Five  or  six  States  follow 
the  wise  plan  of  providing  by  statute  for  levying 
a  tax  of  a  mill  or  some  fraction  of  a  mill  upon 
all  the  taxable  property  of  the  state  for  the  aid 
of  the  university.  Michigan  thus  raises  a  tax 


14          Development  of  State  Universities. 

of  one-twentieth  of  a  mill,  Wisconsin  of  nine- 
fortieths,  Colorado  of  one-fifth,  Nebraska  of 
three-eighths,  California  the  generous  sum  of 
one  mill,  and  Ohio,  which  has  some  forty  or  more 
colleges,  most  of  them  older  than  her  state  uni- 
versity, has  just  passed  an  act  providing  for  a 
tax  of  one-twentieth  of  a  mill  upon  the  property 
of  that  wealthy  State,  yielding  the  sum  of  about 
$88,500  annually,  for  the  support  of  the  state 
university.  When  we  consider  these  facts,  when 
we  remember  how  large  a  material  plant  each 
State  now  has  in  the  buildings,  libraries,  appara- 
tus and  grounds  of  its  university,  when  we 
observe  that  the  States,  without  exception,  ap- 
parently assume  in  all  their  action  that  the  uni- 
versities are  to  be  cared  for  as  certainly  as  their 
asylums  and  prisons  and  normal  schools  and 
agricultural  colleges,  we  must  accept  it  as  settled 
that  henceforth  they  have  an  assured  future,  and 
are  to  form  an  important  part  of  the  educational 
system  of  the  country. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  development  of 
the  state  universities  has  been  natural,  not  arti- 
ficial, and  that  because  this  is  still  true  we  may 
expect  their  continuous  growth.  They  were 
founded  because  they  met  a  real  and  serious 
need.  It  was  clearly  seen  by  wise  and  thought- 


Development  of  State  Universities.          15 

ful  men  that  in  the  new  States,  still  struggling 
with  poverty,  private  endowments  adequate  to 
build  strong  colleges  could  not  be  obtained  until 
they  and  their  children  were  dead  and  gone. 
They  also  saw  clearly  that  if  a  State  ever  needed 
men  and  women  of  high  intelligence  and  char- 
acter, it  was  in  its  plastic  and  formative  years, 
when  it  was  giving  shape  to  its  permanent  insti- 
tutions. Why  not,  then,  they  asked,  seize  upon 
the  lands  which  by  the  munificence  of  the  Na- 
tional Governerment  we  have  received  for  the 
purpose,  and  secure  to  this  generation,  to  our 
own  children,  the  blessings  of  higher  education? 
Objections  enough  were  indeed  raised.  Colleges 
had  in  this  country  generally  been  founded  and 
conducted  by  religious  denominations.  Would 
not  the  life  in  the  state  university  be  unfriendly 
to  the  development  of  religious  character  in  the 
students,  it  was  asked  ?  Would  not  the  institution 
be  wrecked  in  political  controversies?  Would 
legislatures  not  fatally  meddle  with  it?  Would 
the  people  bear  taxation  for  its  aid  ?  These  and 
other  questions  were  proposed  sometimes  by 
those  who  seriously  doubted  whether  a  state 
university  could  be  successfully  administered, 
and  sometimes  by  those  who  in  their  devotion 
to  other  colleges  earnestly  hoped  that  it  could 


16          Development  of  State  Universities. 

not  long  survive.  Mismanagement  occurred  too 
often  in  the  administration  of  the  affairs  of  these 
state  universities.  The  lands  were  sold  at  a 
sacrifice.  Buildings  were  unwisely  planned. 
Mistakes  were  inevitable.  Still,  in  spite  of  all 
these  discouragements,  the  universities  continued 
to  live,  and  in  most  cases  to  grow,  because  they 
did  with  more  or  less  success  meet  a  real  want 
of  the  people.  Very  early  in  their  history  they 
began  to  show  a  broader  and  more  liberal  spirit 
in  the  arrangement  of  their  curricula  of  study 
than  the  colleges  which  were  modeled  on  the 
New  England  type.  They  made  ample  provis- 
ions for  instruction  in  science  and  in  the  appli- 
cation of  science  to  the  arts.  They  established, 
in  addition  to  the  traditional  classical  course, 
other  courses  of  which  scientific  studies  formed 
a  large  part,  and  they  conferred  suitable  degrees 
on  those  who  completed  such  courses.  They 
founded  schools  of  engineering,  pharmacy,  med- 
icine, dentistry  and  law.  They  opened  their 
doors  at  an  early  day  to  both  sexes.  Students 
flocked  to  their  halls,  in  some  cases  in  such 
numbers  as  to  be  somewhat  embarrassing.  The 
attendance  on  the  university  in  each  of  several 
States  soon  exceeded  that  at  any  other  institution 
in  the  State.  The  very  attacks  on  these  univer- 


Development  of  State  Universities.          17 

sities  seemed  to  advertise  them  rather  than  harm 
them.  They  have  in  large  degree  grown  with 
the  growth  and  strengthened  with  the  strength 
of  their  respective  States,  and  have  attained  a 
development  almost  unprecedented  in  the  history 
of  colleges  and  universities. 

And  now  as  we  contemplate  the  blessings  they 
have  already  conferred  upon  the  West,  and  look 
forward  to  the  yet  greater  usefulness  which  they 
promise  for  the  future,  must  we  not  say  with 
grateful  hearts,  that  the  wisdom  of  the  founders 
has  been  fully  demonstrated? 

From  a  pecuniary  point  of  view  what  a  saving 
has  the  establishment  of  its  university  been  to 
each  State!  At  a  cost  so  small  as  to  be  hardly 
worth  mentioning,  education  of  a  high  grade  has 
been  brought  within  reach  of  the  young  men  and 
young  women  who  could  have  procured  it,  if  at 
all,  only  by  expending  large  sums  in  repairing  to 
remote  colleges.  Probably  not  until  many  years 
hence  would  private  endowments  have  sufficed 
to  build  up  here  a  university  with  so  large  an 
outfit  as  this  now  possesses.  And  who  in  the 
State  has  felt  the  burden  of  taxation  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  University  to  be  burdensome  in  the 
least?  The  average  annual  appropriation  by 
—3 


18          Development  of  State  Universities. 

your  Legislature  from  1866  to  1890  lias  been 
less  than  $27. 000.  The  sum  total  of  legislative 
gifts  to  you  from  the  beginning  until  now  is 
$6^1,000.  The  property  in  your  possession, 
exclusive  of  the  national  endowment,  your  build- 
ings, grounds,  apparatus  and  library,  are  esti- 
mated by  the  Regents  in  their  last  report  at 
$519,000.  That  leaves  the  total  cost  of  the 
University  to  the  State,  not  represented  by  the 
property  on  hand,  $122,000,  or  less  than  $5,000 
a  year  for  its  twenty-five  years  of  existence. 
Surely  that  is  not  a  very  heavy  load  for  this 
great  State. 

What  a  blessing  the  state  universities  have 
conferred  by  spreading  educated  men  and  women 
throughout  these  new  commonwealths,  when  in- 
telligence was  so  needed  in  wisely  laying  the 
foundations  of  the  States  and  in  shaping  public 
opinion!  Nothing  can  be  further  from  the  truth 
than  the  belief  cherished  by  some,  that  those 
who  have  received  the  blessing  of  higher  educa- 
tion do  or  can  wholly  appropriate  to  themselves 
the  fruits  of  that  education.  On  the  contrary, 
they  share  these  fruits  with  all  around  them. 
Indeed  others  often  reap  more  advantage  from 
them  than  they  themselves.  The  teacher  who 


Development  of  State  Universities.          19 

imparts  of  his  learning  to  the  generations  of 
children  that  pass  under  his  influence  gives  to 
them  more  of  the  benefits  of  his  learning  than 
he  can  retain  for  himself.  Does  the  faithful 
physician,  who  willingly  robs  himself  of  his  sleep 
that  he  may  drive  miles  in  the  stormy  night  to 
reach  your  bedside  and  bring  you  relief,  bless 
himself  or  bless  you  more  by  his  learning  and 
skill  ?  To  whom  has  the  ethical  and  religious 
training  of  the  faithful  pastor  been  most  service- 
able, to  himself  or  to  the  parish  or  town  which 
has  for  years  been  lifted  by  his  stirring  appeals 
to  the  highest  levels  of  truthful,  honorable  and 
devout  living?  The  university  is,  through  its 
students,  diffusing  its  blessings  through  every 
hamlet  and  town  in  the  State.  If  our  republi- 
can institutions  are  to  stand,  it  will  be  because 
there  are  found  in  every  part  of  the  land,  in  the 
smallest  village  and  on  the  farms  as  well  as  in 
the  great  centers  of  population,  men  and  women 
of  sufficient  intelligence  and  education  to  make 
the  triumph  of  charlatans  in  medicine  and  in 
theology  and  of  demagogues  in  politics  impos- 
sible. This  diffusion  of  intelligence  is  possible 
only  where  higher  education  is  brought  within 
the  reach  of  a  large  number  of  the  young  men 
and  young  women  who  are  to  find  their  homes 


20          Development  of  State  Universities. 

in  every  part  of  a  State  like  this.  The  state 
university  with  its  ample  public  endowments 
does  thus  make  learning  accessible  to  almost 
any  one  who  has  sufficient  intelligence  and  force 
of  character  to  make  it  worth  while  to  attempt 
to  furnish  him  an  advanced  education,  and  these 
graduates  share  the  benefits  of  their  learning 
with  all  the  citizens  of  the  State. 

The  State  which  proffers  education  at  a  nomi- 
nal cost  to  its  promising  children,  whether  they 
are  rich  or  poor,  renders  a  most  important  ser- 
vice in  the  harmonizing  and  consolidating  of  so- 
ciety. It  is  of  comparatively  little  consequence 
to  the  children  of  the  rich  whether  you  have  a 
state  university,  or  any  university  here  in  Kan- 
sas. Their  parents  can  send  them  to  the  East, 
or  to  Europe,  if  need  be,  to  receive  their  educa- 
tion. But  what  would  become  of  the  children 
of  the  poor?  And  in  these  days  when  there  are 
so  many  conflicts  between  the  rich  and  the  poor, 
when  the  contests  between  them  seem  at  times 
to  shake  the  very  foundations  of  society,  who 
can  contemplate  without  a  shudder  the  awful 
consequence  of  widening  the  gulf  between  the 
rich  and  the  poor  by  giving  the  power  of  higher 
education  to  the  former  and  denying  it  to  the 
latter?  Think  of  dividing  our  population  into 


Development  of  State  Universities.          21 

two  classes,  the  one  rich  and  educated,  the  other 
poor  and  ignorant !  Who  can  imagine  the  dread- 
ful collisions  between  them?  Who  would  cher- 
ish any  hope  of  the  continuance  of  our  regulated, 
democratic  institutions? 

A  careful  enumeration  made  in  two  of  the 
state  universities  shows  that  a  much  larger  pro- 
portion of  students  come  from  the  homes  of 
farmers  and  mechanics  than  from  those  of  any 
other  class.  In  the  University  of  Michigan, 
fifty -six  per  cent,  of  the  students  were  found  to 
be  the  children  of  men  who  earn  their  living  by 
manual  labor.  I  think  it  probable  that  the  pro- 
portion in  this  University  is  higher  still.  Noth- 
ing is  more  erroneous  than  the  impression  which 
some  have  received,  that  the  university  students 
come  mainly  from  cities  and  from  rich  families. 
The  great  mass  of  them,  especially  in  the  West, 
are  poor.  In  order  to  obtain  an  education, 
many  of  them  have  for  years  practiced  self- 
denial  and  suffered  privations,  the  description 
of  which  would  stir  your  hearts  with  admiration 
and  fill  your  eyes  with  tears  of  sympathy. 

There  is  really  no  more  democratic  institution 
in  our  country  than  the  college  or  university. 
All  distinctions  of  family  and  of  wealth  disap- 
pear here  more  than  anywhere  else  in  the  world. 


22          Development  of  State  Universities. 

The  son  of  the  hod-carrier  and  the  son  of  the 
millionaire  there  sit  side  by  side  on  the  same 
hard  bench.  Whichever  of  them  has  the  brains 
and  the  character  is  there  the  king.  And  it  is 
quite  as  often  the  son  of  the  hod-carrier  as  the 
son  of  the  millionaire  who  wins  the  regal  honor 
in  the  friendly  competitions  of  the  class  room. 
It  is  an  experience  of  untold  value  to  this  Na- 
tion, that  in  the  colleges  and  universities  thou- 
sands of  our  young  men  and  young  women  are 
living  in  a  community  in  which,  beyond  all  other 
communities  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  every  one 
of  them  is  judged  by  his  intrinsic  worth  and  tal- 
ent, regardless  of  the  accidents  of  birth  arid  for- 
tune. That  is  a  great  object  lesson  in  the  purest 
democracy,  and  can  never  be  forgotten  by  one 
who  has  learned  it  by  four  years  of  companion- 
ship in  the  student  world. 

The  state  university  has  more  than  justified 
the  expectations  of  the  fathers  in  the  service  it 
has  rendered  to  the  public  schools.  In  spite  of 
all  the  criticisms  to  which  our  school  system  has 
lately  been  exposed  in  some  parts  of  the  West, 
I  believe  that  if  there  is  anything  in  our  demo- 
cratic system  which  we  shall  never  let  go  it  is 
the  common  school.  So  long  as  anything  stands 
in  the  Republic,  that  will  stand.  Now  what  I 


Development  of  State  Universities.          23 

affirm  is,  that  the  state  university  has  been  of 
the  greatest  aid  to  the  public  schools,  and  is  to 
be  of  still  greater  assistance  to  them  in  the  fu- 
ture. You  are  well  aware  that  historically  it  has 
been  true  in  all  lands  that  the  universities  and 
colleges  have  sprung  up  before  the  common 
schools,  and  have  helped  kindle  them  into  life. 
Though  any  college  may  be  helpful  to  the  com. 
inon  schools,  yet  the  state  university  by  its 
very  organization  comes  into  the  most  natural 
and  most  helpful  relations  to  them.  Even  if 
the  constitution  or  laws  of  the  State  establish 
no  formal  connection  between  them,  yet  it  has 
been  found  that  they  soon  tend  to  form  a  quasi- 
organic  connection.  Not  limiting  themselves 
to  the  old  classical  curriculum  of  the  New  Eng- 
land type  of  college,  they  establish  collegiate 
courses  which  easily  link  themselves  to  the  dif- 
ferent courses  that  the  high  schools  desire  to 
carry  on.  They  not  only  furnish  a  large  force 
of  competent  teachers  for  the  high  schools,  but, 
by  cultivating  intimate  relations  with  those 
schools,  they  exert  a  lifting  power  upon  them, 
and  attract  a  large  number  of  students  from 
them.  The  elevating  influence  of  this  Univer- 
sity, I  venture  to  say,  is  already  felt  running 
down  through  the  high  schools  to  the  grammar 


24          Development  of  State  Universities. 

and  primary  schools,  so  that  in  all  of  them  bright 
boys  and  girls  are  already  looking  forward  to  a 
course  in  the  University,  and  are  by  that  vision 
inspired  day  by  day  to  nobler  and  better  work. 
Happy  the  State  in  which  every  child  plodding 
over  the  mysteries  of  the  multiplication  table  in 
the  rudest  and  most  secluded  country  school 
house  sees  the  path  open  clear  and  wide  before 
him  through  the  district  school  and  the  high 
school  straight  up  to  and  through  the  university, 
and  is  stimulated  and  thrilled  day  by  day  with 
the  bright  hopes  of  treading  that  path  to  the 
end,  and  of  enriching  his  mind  with  all  the 
scholarly  training  needed  for  the  best  work  in 
life.  Wise  is  the  State  which  by  timely  gener- 
osity to  its  university  has  touched  with  such  an 
uplifting  power  the  mind  and  heart  of  every 
child  within  its  borders.  Rich  with  a  wealth 
transcending  that  of  forests  and  mines,  of  flocks 
and  herds,  is  a  State  filled  with  noble  men  and 
noble  women  thoroughly  furnished  by  a  sound 
and  generous  education  for  all  the  demands  and 
opportunities  of  our  Christian  civilization  of  the 
nineteenth  century. 

I  trust  that  my  commendation  of  the  work  of 
the  state  university  will  not  be  construed  as 
evincing  any  lack  of  appreciation  on  my  part  of 


Development  of  State  Universities.          25 

the  good  work  which  the  colleges  under  control 
of  various  religious  denominations  have  accom- 
plished. Even  in  the  West,  where  the  state 
universities  are  most  flourishing,  a  limited  num- 
ber of  them  may  and  do  discharge  a  useful 
function.  They  can  reach  some  students  whom 
the  universities  would  not  reach.  They  can 
draw  into  the  service  of  education  money  which 
would  not  be  given  to  the  university.  They  and 
the  universities  ought  with  the  generous  temper 
of  the  goodly  fellowship  of  scholars  to  cultivate 
friendly  relations.  A  great  danger  to  them  and 
to  the  cause  of  sound  learning  lies  in  the  tend- 
ency to  multiply  them  unnecessarily,  either 
through  a  denominational  zeal  which  is  not  ac- 
cording to  knowledge,  or  through  the  less  praise- 
worthy zeal  of  real  estate  speculators  who  found 
a  so-called  college  in  order  to  make  a  sale  for 
corner  lots.  My  own  conviction  is  that  it  would 
be  better  for  higher  education  if  not  another  col- 
lege were  established  east  of  the  Rocky  Mount- 
ains for  at  least  a  generation  to  come.  Let  no 
weakling  be  started,  but  let  all  benefactions 
available  for  colleges  be  employed  in  strength- 
ening and  developing  those  which  are  already 
well  started,  and  which  deserve  to  exist.  It 
would  doubtless  be  a  distinct  gain,  if  several  of 


26          Development  of  State  Universities. 

those  already  begun  should  consent  to  become 
good  preparatory  academies. 

I  think  our  friends  who  conduct  the  denom- 
inational colleges  in  the  West  must  be  ready  to 
admit  that  the  state  universities,  by  their  vigor- 
ous development,  have  stimulated  those  colleges 
to  attempt  higher  and  better  work  than  they 
would  have  essayed  but  for  this  incitement.  The 
universities  have  not  only  lifted  the  schools  but 
have  also  lifted  all  the  colleges  throughout  the 
Western  States. 

If  now  it  is  apparent  that  the  founders  of  the 
state  universities  acted  wisely  in  establishing 
them,  if  the  results  thus  far  attained  under  diffi- 
culties which  cannot  continue  give  abundant 
promise  of  larger  usefulness  in  the  future,  we 
may  well  inquire:  What  are  some  of  the  most 
important  conditions  of  their  success?  What 
can  readily  be  done  to  make  them  most  pros- 
perous and  efficient? 

The  state  university  needs  wise  and  vigor- 
ous administration  by  its  regents  and  its  faculties. 
It  is  a  much  more  complicated  organization  than 
the  old-fashioned  New  England  college.  Its 
wants  are  more  varied;  its  relations  to  the  peo- 
ple and  to  the  legislature  are  at  once  more  close 
and  more  delicate.  In  most  eastern  colleges 


Development  of  State  Universities.          27 

the  duties  of  the  trustees  are  to  a  considerable 
extent  nominal,  and  the  discharge  of  them  is 
often  perfunctory.  The  number  of  trustees  is 
usually  large.  Many  of  them  live  far  away  from 
the  college.  They  rarely  meet  more  than  once 
or  twice  a  year.  A  few  of  them,  residing  near 
the  college,  generally  prepare  the  business  and 
the  others  readily  assent  to  their  suggestions. 
Matters  go  on  from  year  to  year  by  such  routine 
methods  that  perhaps  that  kind  of  administration 
does  fairly  well  for  them.  But  it  will  not  answer 
at  all  for  our  state  universities.  The  number  of 
regents  is  usually  small.  A  heavy  responsibility 
rests  on  each.  They  should  make  a  careful  study 
of  the  problems  which  are  submitted  to  them. 
They  should  have  meetings  with  frequency. 
They  may  wisely  leave  the  details  of  internal 
administration  largely  to  the  president  and  fac- 
ulties. But  they  should  be  so  familiar  with  the 
grounds  of  the  general  policy  of  their  univer- 
sity, and  especially  with  its  financial  condition, 
as  to  be  able  to  vindicate  them  everywhere. 
They  should  not  allow  political  or  partisan  con- 
siderations to  have  weight  in  determining  ap- 
pointments. They  should  strive  to  cherish  the 
broadest  and  most  generous  views  of  the  func- 
tions of  the  university  and  large  plans  for  its 


28          Development  of  State  Universities. 

future  development.  They  should  remember 
that  these  institutions,  which  are  playing  so  large 
a  part  in  our  western  life,  are  yet  but  in  their 
infancy,  as  indeed  are  these  Western  States  which 
are  almost  rivalling  European  kingdoms  in  mag- 
nitude and  importance. 

The  president  and  the  faculties  should  also 
have  the  same  large  conception  of  the  nature 
and  work  of  the  state  universities.  They  should 
not  confine  their  sympathies,  their  thoughts  and 
their  activities  to  the  walls  of  their  class  rooms. 

There  indeed  their  chief  energy  is  to  be  ex- 
pended in  bringing  the  fruits  of  the  largest  and 
finest  scholarship  to  the  aid  of  their  pupils,  in 
firing  them  with  the  highest  enthusiasm  for  cul- 
ture of  mind  and  of  character.  But  they  should 
remember  that  their  field,  their  legitimate  do- 
main, is  not  bounded  by  the  limits  of  the  campus 
or  even  by  the  boundaries  of  the  State. 

It  is  of  the  first  importance  that  the  life  and 
work  of  the  university  should  so  far  as  possible 
be  understood  and  appreciated  by  the  people  of 
the  State,  who  are  called  to  support  it,  and  who 
are  invited  to  profit  by  it.  It  is  not  so  easy  a 
task  as  might  be  thought  to  make  the  university 
thoroughly  known  even  to  its  own  State.  So 
many  have  no  accurate  conception  of  what  a 


Development  of  State  Universities.          29 

university  is,  from  the  extent  of  territory  in  a 
western  State  so  many  never  even  look  upon 
the  walls  of  the  university,  that  it  requires  much 
effort  to  enable  the  great  mass  of  people  to  com- 
prehend exactly  what  it  is  doing  and  how  it  per- 
forms its  work.  There  should  be  therefore  the 
utmost  publicity  in  its  life.  The  details  of  its 
work,  and  especially  the  details  of  its  financial 
management,  should  be  made  public  year  by 
year.  Inspection  and  manly  criticism  of  its 
methods  should  be  invited.  It  should  live  with 
open  doors.  The  professors  should  do  what 
they  can  to  maintain  close  relations  with  the 
schools  and  the  teachers  of  the  State.  So  far 
as  is  compatible  with  fidelity  to  their  immediate 
duties,  they  should  embrace  opportunities  to  ad- 
dress the  public  on  educational  theories  or  upon 
any  topics  appropriate  for  them  to  discuss.  They 
should  make  it  clear  that  the  university  authori- 
ties desire  to  identify  themselves  with  the  people 
of  the  State  and  to  contribute  to  their  good  in 
any  proper  manner.  They  should  strive  to  con- 
vince the  citizens  that  the  university  is  their  uni- 
versity, that  it  is  sustained  for  the  benefit  of 
their  children,  and  through  their  children  for  the 
benefit  of  the  state  and  of  the  nation.  They 
may  thus  do  much  to  awaken  through  the  State 


30          Development  of  State  Universities. 

a  feeling  of  pride  in  the  university,  which  will 
conduce  greatly  to  its  strength. 

Nor  should  the  students  of  the  university  for- 
get that  they  can  often  do  as  much  as  regents 
and  faculties  to  make  the  institution  known  and 
appreciated.  They  are  as  much  a  part,  in  some 
respects  quite  as  important  a  part,  of  the  univer- 
sity as  the  board  of  regents  and  the  faculties. 
Perhaps  they  do  not  need  to  be  told  this.  They 
are  generally  aware  of  it.  But  they  do  not  al- 
ways reflect  that  this  fact  confers  on  them  a 
privilege  and  lays  on  them  a  duty — the  privilege 
and  the  duty  of  making  a  good  name  for  the 
university,  and  of  promoting  its  growth.  Not 
that  they  are  deliberately  neglectful  in  this  re- 
gard. If  at  times  the  exuberance  of  their  youth- 
ful spirits  convinces  us  that  matriculation  in  a 
university  does  not  in  every  case  insure  the  ob- 
servance of  all  the  proprieties  of  life,  or  if  with 
the  ripening  of  the  down  on  the  cheek  there  is 
occasionally  developed  a  sharper  perception  of 
what  they  deem  the  deficiencies  than  of  the 
merits  of  us,  their  teachers,  yet  with  few  excep- 
tions they  are  loyal  to  their  college,  and  in  the 
long  run  give  us  teachers  quite  as  much  praise 
as  we  deserve,  especially  if  we  are  criticised  by 
any  other  college.  But  they  may  not  fully  real- 


Development  of  State  Universities.          31 

ize  that,  numbered  as  they  are  by  hundreds,  and 
going  sooner  or  later  into  every  part  of  the 
State,  and  meeting  men  in  every  pursuit  and 
condition,  they  can  perhaps  do  more  than  regents 
and  faculties  combined  to  commend  the  univer- 
sity to  all.  No  wealth  of  endowment  is  so  val- 
uable to  a  university  as  the  devotioa  of  her 
children.  If  the  graduates  who  have  gone  from 
these  halls  and  those  who  are  to  go  in  the  years 
to  come  will  stand  by  their  Alma  Mater,  will 
make  known  to  the  communities  in  which  they 
dwell  the  nature  and  scope  of  the  training  given 
here,  the  free,  generous,  democratic,  elevating 
spirit  of  the  life  of  the  University,  the  ennobling 
and  inspiring  influence  which  it  is  already  wield- 
ing, and  which  in  yet  larger  measure  it  is  destined 
to  wield,  upon  this  rapidly  developing  State,  they 
can  win  for  the  University  the  hearty  and  sym- 
pathetic support  of  the  public,  and  pay  in  part 
the  debt  they  owe  to  the  dear  mother  of  them 
all. 

I  think  it  is  especially  desirable  that  the  re- 
ligious men  and  women  of  the  State  cherish  a 
warm  interest  in  the  university.  Not  unfre- 
quently  many  of  them  have  held  themselves 
aloof  from  the  state  university,  under  the  im- 
pression that  life  in  such  institutions  is  riot  con- 


32          Development  of  State  Universities. 

ducive  to  the  growth  of  religious  character  in 
the  students,  perhaps  that  it  is  injurious  to  such 
character.  I  believe  that  this  impression,  if  it 
still  exists,  is  not  justified  by  the  present  condi- 
tion of  the  state  universities.  The  regents  do, 
in  fact,  generally  represent  fairly  the  moral  and 
religious  sentiment  of  the  people,  and  know  very 
well  that  our  citizens,  with  almost  no  exception, 
desire  that  the  conditions  of  college  life  should 
be  helpful,  rather  than  harmful,  to  the  religious 
development  of  their  children.  The  faculties 
are  made  up  of  men  who,  with  almost  no  excep- 
tion, are  earnest,  reverent,  God-fearing  men. 
Persons  with  different  views  and  different  spirit 
do  not,  as  a  rule,  take  up  the  profession  of  col- 
lege teaching.  So  in  our  university  towns  you 
do,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  find  the  professors  tak- 
ing an  active  part  in  the  work  of  the  churches 
and  in  religious  societies  organized  among  the 
students.  There  is  not  a  single  one  of  the  state 
universities  in  which  there  is  not  a  Christian  so- 
ciety of  students.  I  know  of  none  in  which 
Christian  teachers  are  not  at  liberty  in  proper 
and  becoming  methods  to  exert,  and  in  which 
they  are  not  exerting,  a  positive  religious  influ- 
ence over  students.  I  may  say  in  passing,  that 
the  state  university  with  which  I  am  most  fa- 


Development  of  State  Universities.          33 

miliar  has  sent  out  about  twenty-five  missionaries 
to  the  foreign  field,  and  that  about  thirty  of  the 
students  now  within  her  walls  have  announced 
their  willingness  to  enter  on  such  service,  if 
Providence  opens  the  way.  The  real  danger, 
if  there  is  any,  to  the  religious  life  in  the  state 
universities,  is  in  the  failure  of  Christian  men  to 
take  an  interest  in  them  and  to  use  their  legiti- 
mate influence  as  citizens  in  shaping  their  policy. 
If  such  men  take  no  interest  in  these  institu- 
tions, it  is  possible  under  our  system  of  govern- 
ment that  they  may  fall  into  bad  hands.  Now 
that  it  is  settled  that  these  universities  are  here 
to  stay,  for  good  or  for  ill,  it  is  not  only  the 
privilege,  it  is  the  Christian  duty,  of  every  good 
man  to  use  his  lawful  power  to  make  them  the 
best  possible  for  developing  not  only  the  largest 
intelligence,  but  the  highest  type  of  character  in 
the  students. 

Again,  if  the  University  is  to  prosper,  it  must 
have  the  financial  help  needed  for  its  proper  de- 
velopment. The  mere  growth  of  the  population 
of  this  State,  which  goes  on  at  so  extraordinary 
a  pace,  is  going  to  make  larger  and  larger  de- 
mands upon  this  institution.  The  day  is  close 
at  hand  when  you  will  have  a  thousand  students 
—3 


34          Development  of  State  Universities. 

to  provide  for.  But  besides  this,  there  must  be 
a  constant  enlargement  of  facilities  for  teaching 
and  a  constant  improvement  of  methods  of  in- 
struction. New  apparatus,  new  laboratories,  and 
especially  new  books,  must  be  furnished.  The 
modern  and  approved  modes  of  teaching  science 
are  very  expensive.  You  desire,  I  am  sure,  to 
keep  abreast  of  the  best  universities  in  the  grade 
and  quality  of  your  training.  You  should  here 
and  now  bravely  face  the  fact  that  an  endow- 
ment sufficient  for  to-day  is  not  going  to  suffice 
for  to-morrow.  You  can  never  say  with  com- 
placency, "There,  the  provision  for  the  Univer- 
sity is  now  complete;  we  are  never  to  go  any 
further  in  enlarging  its  income."  The  Univer- 
sity is  never  to  be  finished.  If  it  has  any  gen- 
uine life,  that  life  is  a  growth.  It  must  continue 
to  go  forward.  The  moment  the  University 
stops  growing,  I  do  not  say  in  number  of  stu- 
dents, but  in  intellectual  development,  that  mo- 
ment it  has  begun  to  die.  If  it  stands  still,  it 
is  retrograding,  not  alone  relatively  to  other 
universities,  but  absolutely.  You  cannot  expect 
scholars  of  energy  and  aspiration  to  remain  long 
in  the  faculty  of  a  university  which  is  forbidden 
to  grow  and  to  improve.  If  the  authorities  are 
to  administer  such  an  institution  wisely  and  effi- 


Development  of  State  Universities.          35 

ciently,  they  must  have  some  such  assurance  of 
support  for  the  future  as  will  enable  them  to 
lay  plans  with  forecast.  They  should  not  be 
compelled  to  tear  down  to-day  what  they  builded 
yesterday.  A  university  is  not  developed  by 
cataclysms.  It  must  have  a  certain  steadiness 
of  life.  Legislatures  may  fairly  be  asked  to  be 
mindful  of  this.  Such  salaries  should  be  pro- 
vided for  the  teachers  as  will  enable  them,  if 
reasonable,  to  work  with  a  fair  degree  of  con- 
tentment. The  value  of  their  work  is  greatly 
impaired,  if  they  are  compelled  to  give  much 
thought  to  outside  work  in  order  to  gain  a  decent 
livelihood,  or  if  they  are  constrained  to  be  scan- 
ning the  horizon  all  the  while  in  quest  of  a 
position  which  promises  decent  remuneration. 
Their  terms  of  office  should  be  such  as  to  save 
them  from  disquietude,  if  they  are  really  meri- 
torious instructors.  It  should  not  be  forgotten 
that  it  is  not  bricks  and  mortar,  even  if  moulded 
into  the  finest  architecture,  but  the  men  in  the 
teachers'  chairs,  that  above  all  make  a  univer- 
sity. Gather  the  great  teachers  here,  and  students 
will  flock  to  receive  their  instructions,  even 
though  the  lectures  are  given  in  huts  of  sods  or 
on  the  open  prairie.  Especially  is  it  fortunate 
when  gifted  instructors  are  so  devoted  to  a  school 


36          Development  of  State  Universities. 

that,  in  spite  of  calls  to  more  remunerative 
chairs  elsewhere,  they  toil  on  year  after  year  to 
carry  the  school  through  its  period  of  poverty 
and  trial  and  make  their  lives  a  part  of  its  life. 
No  gift  of  money  can  furnish  so  rich  an  endow- 
ment as  such  self-sacrificing  devotion.  Nearly 
every  college  has  such  heroic  men  in  its  faculty. 
I  congratulate  you  that  you  have  more  than  one 
such,  and  especially  that  you  have  at  the  head 
of  this  University  one  who  was  present  at  its 
birth,  and  who  has,  with  a  devotion  unsurpassed  in 
the  history  of  such  institutions,  literally  builded 
his  life  into  its  life.  When  you  are  fortunate 
enough  to  secure  such  men,  of  tried  ability  and 
of  unswerving  loyalty  to  the  University,  let  them 
know  that  they  are  appreciated;  leave  them  their 
intellectual  independence;  let  no  whirlwind  of 
excitement  begotten  of  sectarian  prejudices  in 
religion  or  in  politics  be  allowed  to  imperil  their 
position  or  even  to  disturb  their  serenity. 

There  is  ample  room  in  this  State,  and  in  each 
of  the  Western  States,  for  one  large  and  pros- 
perous university.  Germany  has  one  for  each 
two  millions  of  inhabitants.  At  the  close  of 
this  decade,  if  the  prosperity  of  this  State  is  not 
checked,  you  will  have  about  that  population 
within  the  borders  of  Kansas.  The  area  of 


Development  of  State  Universities.          37 

your  State  exceeds  by  four  thousand  square  miles 
that  of  England  and  Wales  combined,  is  more 
than  four  times  larger  than  the  kingdom  of 
Greece,  more  than  five  times  larger  than  Swit- 
zerland, nearly  six  times  larger  than  Denmark, 
and  nearly  seven  times  larger  than  Holland. 
You  can  lay  down  seven  kingdoms  of  the  size 
of  Belgium  within  the  boundaries  of  Kansas 
and  still  have  more  than  four  thousand  square 
miles  unoccupied.  This  State,  imperial  in  size 
and  imperial  in  resources,  should  plan  for  a 
great  and  proud  future.  The  heroic  struggles 
of  her  early  life  drew  hither  men  of  the  noblest 
strain  of  blood  from  all  the  States  between  here 
and  the  Atlantic.  Others  like  them,  seeking 
congenial  companionship,  have  followed  them. 
Of  such  a  stock  something  more  than  a  mere 
commonplace  career  must  be  expected.  Here 
you  are  in  the  very  heart  of  the  continent,  with 
an  abounding  wealth  of  agricultural  resources 
which  you  cannot  yet  measure,  with  most  com- 
plete railway  communication  east,  west,  north, 
and  south,  to  all  the  markets  of  this  country,  and 
to  all  the  ports  of  exportation  upon  the  Atlantic 
coast  from  Galveston  to  Montreal.  But  one 
thing  is  absolutely  indispensable  even  to  this 
people  of  so  noble  lineage  and  high  character 


38          Development  of  State  Universities. 

and  undaunted  enterprise,  with  all  the  magnifi- 
cent resources  of  Kansas  in  their  hands,  if  they 
are  to  gain  and  retain  for  the  State  that  conspicu- 
ous position  which  you  are  hoping  and  predict- 
ing for  her;  that  one  thing  is  a  sufficient  number 
of  men  trained  by  the  best  education  which  can 
be  furnished  to  fit  them  for  leadership  in  all  de- 
partments of  human  activity,  for  eminence  in  all 
branches  of  industrial,  of  professional,  and  of 
civic  life.  In  the  fierce  competitions  of  these 
days,  those  communities  and  those  States  which 
produce  the  largest  intelligence,  the  most  ener- 
getic and  noble  character,  will  push  to  the  front. 
It  is  generally  conceded  that  the  West,  with  its 
rapidly-increasing  population  and  its  illimitable 
resources,  is  to  have  the  decisive  word  in  guid- 
ing the  destinies  of  this  nation.  But  she  does 
not  deserve  to  wield  such  a  power,  and  she  ought 
not  to  desire  to  wield  such  a  power,  unless  she 
can  rear  generations  of  broad-minded,  large- 
souled  men,  fitted  not  only  to  develop  the  re- 
sources of  the  West,  but  to  bring  a  virile  energy 
and  consummate  wisdom  and  ripe  statesmanship 
to  the  administration  of  our  national  affairs.  If 
this  great  State  aspires  to  do  her  part  in  secur- 
ing for  the  West  the  high  trust  of  leadership, 
she  must  see  to  it  that  the  best  training  of  the 


Development  of  State  Universities.          39 

age  is  secured  for  her  children.  Let  no  penny- 
wise  economy  rob  them  of  the  facilities  for  mak- 
ing themselves  the  peers  of  the  children  of  any 
of  the  sister  States.  May  all  the  educational 
institutions  of  this  State  be  generously  sup- 
ported. May  this  University  be  a  perpetual 
fountain  of  intellectual  life,  whose  streams,  in- 
creasing year  by  year  in  volume  and  in  strength, 
shall  make  glad  this  proud  commonwealth  and 
diffuse  its  blessings  throughout  the  nation  and 
over  the  wide  world. 


R.  W.  OLIVER. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 

OF  THB 

UNIVERSITY  OF  KANSAS 


WILSON    STERLING. 


I.    THE  PREPARATION. 

THE  people  who  settled  Lawrence  were  very 
far  from  being  firmly  established  in  their  new 
homes  when  they  began  to  turn  their  attention  to 
the  question  of  education.  They  had  no  means 
for  the  support  of  schools  and  no  laws  governing 
educational  matters.  Under  these  circumstances 
they  naturally  had  recourse  to  their  friends  and 
supporters  in  the  East.  The  peculiar  circum- 
stances attending  the  settlement  of  Lawrence 
gave  the  people  a  special  claim  to  the  friendship 
and  generosity  of  a  Boston  gentleman  of  cul- 
ture and  means,  Amos  A.  Lawrence,  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  New  England  Emigrant  Aid 
Company,  and  a  personal  acquaintance  and 
friend  of  many  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  city 

(41) 


42  History  of  the  University. 

which  boars  his  name.  He  became  interested 
very  early  in  the  question  of  good  schools  for 
Kansas  Territory,  and  particularly  for  Lawrence, 
and  gave  substantial  expression  of  his  interest 
by  setting  in  operation  a  plan  for  the  founding 
of  a  preparatory  school  in  the  city. 

As  early  as  1856,  he  requested  Chas.  Robin- 
son to  spend  some  money  for  him  in  laying  the 
foundation  of  a  school  building  on  the  northern 
part  of  Mt.  Oread,  at  the  site  of  North  College. 
Work  on  this  building  was  actually  begun,  but 
as  the  title  to  the  land  was  imperfect,  the  work 
was  soon  suspended.  In  a  private  letter  to  the 
Rev.  E.  Nute,  of  Lawrence,  dated  Dec.  16,  1856, 
Mr.  Lawrence  explains  his  plans  and  desires  on 
this  subject.  He  says: 

"You  shall  have  a  college  which  shall  be  a  school  of 
learning  and  at  the  same  time  a  monument  to  perpetuate 
the  memory  of  those  martyrs  of  liberty  who  fell  during  the 
recent  struggles.  Beneath  it  their  dust  shall  rest.  In  it 
shall  burn  the  light  of  liberty,  which  shall  never  be  extin- 
guished until  it  illumines  the  whole  continent.  It  shall  be 
called  the  'Free-State  College,'  and  all  the  friends  of  free- 
dom shall  be  invited  to  lend  it  a  helping  hand.  ...  I 
cannot  furnish  cash  for  building,  but  I  can  give  what  will 
be  as  good  for  paying  expenses  after  it  is  up.  For  instance, 
having  advanced  ten  thousand  dollars  to  the  university  at 
Appleton,  Wisconsin,  last  year,  I  hold  their  notes  on  interest. 
This  is  a  good  institution  and  it  owes  little  or  nothing  except 
this.  They  have  about  two  hundred  thousand  dollars'  worth 


History  of  the  University.  43 

of  property,  and  four  hundred  and  fifty  students  on  their 
catalogue.  I  wish  I  had  money,  but  I  fear  the  time  is  far 
distant  when  I  shall  have  more  than  enough  to  carry  on  my 
plans  begun  long  ago." 

He  was  evidently  deeply  interested  in  this 
matter,  for  in  another  letter  to  the  llev.  Mr. 
Nute,  written  only  five  days  later  than  the  pre- 
ceding, he  says: 

"I  am  very  desirous  not  to  lead  in  this  matter  of  the 
college,  but  only  to  be  one  of  many  subscribers  to  the  fund, 
which  ought  to  be  as  much  as  one  hundred  thousand  dollars 
at  starting.  They  are  now  raising  a  sum  of  money  in  Con- 
necticut (a  dollar  for  every  Fremont  vote),  they  say  forty- 
three  thousand  dollars,  for  relief.  This  would  be  the  best 
relief  they  can  give,  to  employ  labor  next  spring,  at  the  same 
time  creating  a  permanent  benefit  and  perpetuating  the 
memory  of  a  struggle  which  must  exercise  a  vast  influence 
on  this  continent.  Pardon  my  troubling  you,  but  the  more 
I  consider  this  matter  of  a  'Free-State  College,'  the  more  I 
like  it,  and  hope  God  will  put  it  into  the  hearts  of  the  people 
to  carry  it  out.  The  clergy  could  do  it  if  they  would  not  be 
jealous  of  each  other's  influence." 

Naturally  the  majority  of  the  settlers  in  their 
struggle  with  untamed  nature,  as  it  appeared  in 
the  unbroken  prairie  and  the  border  ruffian,  had 
little  thought  for  this  subject,  but  the  friends  of 
the  enterprise  here  found  time"  to  discuss  and 
investigate  the  questions  of  means  and  location 
for  the  proposed  college.  Some  advocated  the 
location  of  the  site  at  a  point  more  remote  from 


44  History  of  the  University. 

the  town.  This  question  was  also  submitted  to 
Mr.  Lawrence,  and  his  reply  doubtless  had  much 
weight  in  determining  the  location  not  only  of 
North  College,  but  also  of  the  later  University 
buildings.  In  another  letter  to  Rev.  Mr.  Nute, 
dated  Feb.  llth,  1857,  he  says: 

"I  should  suppose  [the  proposed  site]  is  not  comparable 
with  the  high  lands  above  the  town.  Trade  will  not  go  up 
the  hills  except  to  get  prospect  of  a  good  bargain,  and  there 
is  no  risk  in  locating  a  college  or  a  church  on  a  hill,  even  in 
a  large  city.  The  Romanists  have  understood  this,  and  we 
see  in  Europe  their  institutions  on  the  pinnacles  over  the 
cities,  unless  occupied  by  a  fortress,  always.  It  insures  a 
good  view  and  seclusion.  The  spot  originally  selected  in 
Lawrence  is  the  right  one." 

In  accordance  with  his  previous  suggestion, 
he  forwarded  to  the  local  trustees  of  the  New  Eng- 
land Emigrant  Aid  Company  the  notes  against 
Lawrence  University,  Wisconsin,  and  his  letter 
of  directions  to  the  trustees  regarding  the  dis- 
posal of  the  income  is  worthy  of  quotation  in 
full,  both  as  more  fully  revealing  his  plans  and 
as  giving  an  insight  into  the  political  creed  and 
the  character  of  the  man. 

"  BOSTON,  Feb.  14,  1857. 
' '  To  Messrs.  Charles  Robinson  and  S.  C.  Pomeroy,  Trustees  — 

"GENTLEMEN  :  Enclosed  with  this  are  two  notes  of  five 
thousand  dollars  each,  of  the  Lawrence  University,  of  Wis- 
consin, which,  with  the  interest  added,  amount  to  eleven 
thousand  six  hundred  and  ninety-six  and  -1\j-|0  dollars,  as  of 


History  of  the  University.  45 

to-day;  also  a  certificate  of  stock  in  the  New  England  Emi- 
grant Aid  Company  (par  32,000),  worth  one  thousand  dollars 
or  more  at  the  present  time;  in  all  twelve  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  ninety-six  dollars  and  fourteen  cents,  which  has 
been  transferred  to  yourselves  to  be  held  by  you  in  trust,  and 
the  income  to  be  used  for  the  advancement  of  the  religious 
and  intellectual  education  of  the  young  in  Kansas  Territory. 
Until  I  shall  give  directions  to  the  contrary,  I  wish  one-half 
of  the  income  to  be  applied  to  the  establishment  of  the  best 
system  of  common  schools,  by  organizing  in  every  settlement 
those  who  shall  be  in  favor  of  its  adoption,  as  soon  as  the 
school  funds  shall  be  received  from  the  United  States  (Gov- 
ernment; also  by  giving  aid  to  a  school  in  Lawrence  which 
shall  serve  as  a  model  to  others.  The  other  half  of  the  in- 
come to  be  used  for  the  establishment  of  Sunday  schools  and 
furnishing  them  with  the  books  of  the  Sunday  School  Union, 
of  Philadelphia.  In  the  event  of  my  decease  without  giving 
any  other  directions  than  the  above,  I  wish  the  fund  to  be 
used  in  the  manner  designated  by  ine  in  a  letter  written  to 
Rev.  E.  Nute,  Dec.  16,  1856. 

"The  state  of  your  laws  prevents  me  from  making  a 
formal  instrument  of  trust  at  this  time,  and  I  have  only  to 
say  that  by  accepting  the  office  of  trustees  you  will  confer  a 
favor  on  me,  while  you  will  be  serving  the  interest  of  the 
Territory  in  which  we  all  have  taken  so  much  interest,  and 
for  which  you  have  endured  and  risked  so  much.  1  rely  im- 
plicitly on  your  honor  to  retain  the  property  in  your  safe 
keeping,  and  to  carry  out  the  plan  herein  specified.  In  the 
event  of  your  resignation  of  the  office  of  trustee  at  any  time 
or  your  removal  from  the  Territory,  I  wish  for  the  privilege 
of  appointing  your  successors.  Hereafter,  I  may  give  my 
vic\v<  more  in  detail.  You  can  draw  on  the  treasurer  of  the 
Lawrence  University  at  anytime  for  a  year's  interest,  in  any 
one  year.  I  have  refrained  from  drawing  because  they  have 
required  all  their  funds  for  their  new  building.  Recently 


46  History  oj  the  University. 

one  building  lias  been  burnt,  and  on  this  account,  as  well  as 
from  my  desire  to  prevent  all  embarrassment  to  the  institu- 
tion, I  wish  that  the  payment  of  the  principal  sum  may  not 
be  urged,  so  long  as  the  interest  is  received.  If  Kansas 
should  not  become  a  'Free  State'  as  soon  as  admitted  to  the 
Union,  1  wish  the  property  returned  to  me  or  my  heirs. 
"Your  obedient  servant, 

"AMOS  A.  LAWKENCE." 

The  poverty  of  the  West  and  the  unusual 
financial  depression  in  the  East  prevented  rapid 
additions  to  this  generous  gift,  and  the  plans  for 
the  "Free-State  College"  could  not  be  carried 
into  execution  at  once.  However,  this  magnifi- 
cent sum,  as  it  was  then  regarded,  was  supposed 
by  many  to  be  immediately  available  for  any 
respectable  proposition  for  the  establishment  of 
a  college,  and  the  following  year  saw  the  initia- 
tory steps  taken  for  the  establishment  of  a  school 
of  high  grade,  to  be  under  the  immediate  con- 
trol of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  the  United 
States  of  America.  The  active  agent  of  this 
enterprise  was  a  physician  of  Lawrence  named 
Chas.  E.  Miner,  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  and  an  energetic  and  aggressive  business 
man.  The  directors  were:  Kev.  Wm.  Wilson, 
Rev.  Richard  Cord  ley,  Hon.  Chas.  Robinson, 
John  M.  Coe,  Chas.  E.  Miner,  Rev.  G.  w! 
Hutchinson,  James  A.  Finley,  C.  L.  Edwards, 
all  of  Lawrence;  Rev.  F.  P.  Montfort,  of  Browns- 


History  of  the  University.  47 

ville;  T.  E.  Thomas,  D.  D.,  of  New  Albany, 
Ind.;  K  L.  Kice,  D.  D.,  of  Chicago;  C.  Van 
Renssalaer,  D.  D.,  of  Philadelphia;  R.  J.  Breck- 
en ridge,  D.  D. ,  of  Kentucky,  Rev.  H.  I.  Coe, 
of  St.  Louis;  and  M.  W.  Jacobs,  D.  D.,  of  Al- 
legheny City,  Pa.  Appropriate  committees  were 
appointed,  and  plans  were  made  for  the  erection 
of  a  building  forthwith,  to  be  thirty-six  by  sixty 
feet,  two  stories  high.  This  building*  was  de- 
signed only  as  a  wing  of  the  main  buildings, 
which  were  expected  to  cost  not  less  than  $50,- 
000.00. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  solicit  contri- 
butions in  the  Territory  in  money  and  lands. 
The  hope  was  expressed  that  the  citizens  of 
Lawrence  and  vicinity  would  not  allow  them- 
selves to  be  surpassed  by  other  portions  of  the 
Territory  in  their  subscriptions  for  an  enterprise 
that  would  add  so  much  to  the  attractions  and 
advantages  of  Lawrence.  This  project  is  scarcely 
to  be  compared  with  the  "real-estate  colleges" 
of  more  recent  times,  but  its  agents  did  not  fail 
to  note  that  "in  a  pecuniary  point  of  view, 
holders  of  real  estate  in  this  vicinity  will  greatly 
enhance  the  value  of  their  own  property  by  up- 
building such  an  institution  in  our  midst."  It 

*Tbe  dimensions  were  afterwards  changed  to  fifty  feet  square. 


48  History  of  the  University. 

was  also  announced  that  a  lady  of  boundless  en- 
ergy, Mrs.  Emily  P.  Burke,  was  already  at  work 
in  the  East  raising  funds  for  the  cause,  and  her 
reports  of  successful  operations  gave  great  en- 
couragement to  the  local  committees.  Several 
gentlemen  of  influence  and  means  in  the  East 
were  also  actively  interested.*  Assurances  were 
given  that  the  Amos  Lawrence  fnnd  would  be 
available,  provided  the  enterprise  could  be  placed 
on  a  safe  and  permanent  financial  basis. 

In  Territorial  days  charters  were  granted  only 
by  legislative  enactment.  A  bill  was  introduced 
and  passed  in  the  Legislature  of  1859  which  gave 
legal  sanction  to  Lawrence  University,  with  the 
following  board  of  trustees:  C.  E.  Miner,  Wm. 
Bishop,  G.  W.  Hutchinson,  J.  M.  Coe,  A.  W. 
Pitzer,  E.  Nute,  Chas.  Robinson,  S.  C.  Pomeroy, 
C.  H.  Branscomb,  "Wm.  Wilson,  J.  A.  Finley,  C. 
L.  Edwards,  T.  D.  Thacher,  Charles  Reynolds, 
Robert  Morrow,  Jas.  Blood,  R.  S.  Symington, 
Josiah  Miller,  Lyman  Allen,  Thos.  Ewing,  F.  P. 
Montfort.  By  a  supplemental  act  the  name  of 
William  Brindle  was  added  to  this  list,  f 

Under  this  law,  the  trustees  met  on  Jan.  22, 
1859,  and  proceeded  to  the  organization  of  Law- 

*  Lawrence  Republican,  July  8,  1858. 
t  Private  Laws,  1859,  pp-  81-86. 


History  of  the  University.  49 

rence  University.  Their  meeting  was  held  at 
the  Eldridge  House,  and  a  temporary  organiza- 
tion was  made  by  the  election  of  Gov.  Medary 
as  chairman,  and  T.  Dwight  Thacher  as  secre- 
tary. After  a  prayer  by  the  Rev.  Win.  Bishop, 
a  committee  was  appointed  to  nominate  perma- 
nent officers  of  the  board  of  trustees.  All  the 
persons  named  in  their  report  were  duly  elected 
by  ballot,  as  follows:  For  president,  Chas.  E. 
Miner;  vice  president,  Lyman  Allen;  recording 
secretary,  C.  L.  Edwards;  corresponding  secre- 
tary, Wm.  Bishop;  treasurer,  James  Blood;  ex- 
ecutive committee,  Chas.  E.  Miner,  T.  Dwight 
Thacher,  Wm.  Bishop,  Chas.  Reynolds,  G.  W. 
Hntchinson,  C.  H.  Branscomb,  James  Blood  and 
Robert  Morrow. 

"The  following  chairs  were  then  established: 
Biblical  literature  and  moral  philosophy,  Greek 
language  and  literature,  Latin  language  and  lit- 
erature, English  literature,  natural  sciences, 
mathematics,  modern  languages,  principal  of 
preparatory  department,  principal  of  female  de- 
partment. Dr.  C.  E.  Miner  was  appointed  the 
agent  of  the  board  to  obtain  donations  at  the 
East  for  the  University." 

"A  committee  duly  appointed  nominated  the 

-4 


50  History  of  the  University. 

following  candidates  for  the  several  chairs,  who 
were  all  elected  by  ballot:  Professor  of  biblical 
literature  and  moral  philosophy,  Rev.  Thos.  E. 
Thomas,  of  Dayton,  O. ;  professor  of  Greek 
language  and  literature,  Rev.  William  Bishop, 
formerly  of  Hanover  College,  Ind. ;  professor 
of  English  literature,  Rev.  Chas.  Reynolds,  for- 
merly of  Columbus,  O. ;  principal  of  prepara- 
tory department,  Chas.  L.  Edwards,  present 
principal  of  Quincy  High  School,  of  this  city; 
principal  of  female  department,  Mrs.  Emily  P. 
Burke,  [of  Chestnut  Level,  Pa.] 

"A  medical  department  was  then  established, 
consisting  of  the  following  chairs,  and  the  fol- 
lowing incumbents  elected:  Surgery  and  surgi- 
cal anatomy,  (unfilled);  theory  and  practice  and 
clinical  medicine,  C.  E.  Miner,  M.  D. ;  physi- 
ology and  pathology,  A.  M.  Clarke,  M.  D.,  of 
New  York  city;  materia  medica  and  medical 
botany,  J.  P.  Root,  M.  D.,  of  Wyandotte;  ob- 
stetrics and  diseases  of  women  and  children, 
Alonzo  Fuller,  M.  D. ;  chemistry  and  medical 
jurisprudence,  John  M.  Coe,  Esq.,  of  Law- 
rence." 

-  Committees  on  by-laws  and  curriculum  were 
appointed,  and  another  committee  was  empow- 
ered to  confer  with  the  Legislature  in  regard  to 


History  of  the  University.  51 

the  establishment  of  a  normal  school  in  connec- 
tion with  the  university.  The  bond  of  the  treas- 
urer was  fixed  at  ten  thousand  dollars.  Chas.  E. 
Miner  was  also  placed  on  two  more  committees 
whose  functions  were  to  attend  to  the  erection 
of  the  proposed  building  and  to  procure  a  seal  for 
the  university,  and  then  the  meeting  adjourned 
to  meet  again  in  five  days.* 

During  the  month  of  January,  1859,  the  trus- 
tees of  the  city  of  Lawrence  gave  to  the  trustees 
of  Lawrence  University  a  "quitclaim  deed  with 
bond  for  the  execution  of  further  deed  whenever 
patent  shall  issue  for  town  site  of  Lawrence"  to 
the  present  North  College  campus,  "on  condi- 
tion that  said  university  is  permanently  located 
at  Lawrence,  Kansas  Territory,  that  a  brick  build- 
ing not  less  than  thirty-six  feet  in  width  and  sixty 
feet  in  length,  two  stories  high,  be  erected  and 
completed  within  one  year  from  this  date,  and 
that  a  school  be  commenced  within  six  months 
from  this  date,  and  that,  failing  to  comply  with 
the  above  conditions,  said  Lawrence  University 
shall  forfeit  all  right  to  said  lot  of  ground,  and 
it  shall  again  become  the  property  of  the  city  of 
Lawrence."  f 

*  Lawrence  Republican,  Jan.  27,  IKTi'.t. 

tR-port  of  committee  on  city  property.  (See  council  record  of 
March  IBI,  1603.) 


52  History  of  the  University. 

In  accordance  with  the  terms  of  this  quitclaim 
deed,  an  attempt  was  made  to  open  a  preparatory 
school.  The  trustees  were  unable  to  comply 
with  the  letter  of  the  agreement,  but  they  hit 
upon  a  plan  for  fulfilling  its  spirit.  The  "six 
months"  specified  in  the  agreement  had  elapsed, 
and  no  school  was  in  operation.  Mr.  C.  L.  Ed- 
wards, who  had  conducted  the  Quincy  High 
School  and  other  schools  in  Lawrence,  had  ad- 
vertised the  opening  of  an  institute*  in  Septem- 
ber of  1859.  Almost  all  the  pupils  of  suitable 
age  and  attainments  in  the  vicinity  were  pledged 
to  attend  his  institute.  The  management  of 
Lawrence  University,  accordingly,  proposed  to 
make  his  institute  the  "Preparatory  Department 
of  Lawrence  University."  With  a  very  slight 
change  of  program  this  was  accomplished.  The 
place  of  the  school  was  the  basement  of  the 
Unitarian  Church,  which  had  been  already  secured 
for  the  institute.  The  fees  were  to  remain  the 
same.  Two  more  members  of  the  university 
faculty  were  added  to  the  teaching  force.  Rev. 
Win.  Bishop,  professor-elect  of  Greek  literature, 
came  each  morning  and  opened  the  school  with 
devotional  exercises  and  conducted  a  beginners' 
class  in  Latin;  Rev.  Chas.  Reynolds,  professor- 

* Lawrence  Republican,  Sept.  1,  1859. 


History  of  the  University.  53 

elect  of  English  literature,  came  each  day  and 
heard  a  class  in  reading.  The  rest  of  the  teach- 
ing and  management  was  done  by  Mr.  Edwards, 
who  also  received  all  the  fees.  This  preparatory 
department  was  opened  September  19th,  1859, 
and  continued  about  three  months,  when  its  pat- 
ronage ceased  and  it  ceased.* 

The  difficulty  of  securing  funds  for  the  insti- 
tution somewhat  retarded  the  progress  of  the 
work  of  building,  but,  about  the  middle  of  the 
summer  of  1859,  Dr.  Chester,  of  Philadelphia, 
and  others,  representing  the  Presbyterian  Educa- 
tional Board,  visited  Lawrence  f  and  examined 
the  situation.  They  were  satisfied  with  the  out- 
look, and  accordingly  the  Board  gave  pledges  of 
sufficient  money  to  erect  a  building  suitable  for 
the  purpose,  on  condition  that  an  endowment 
could  be  secured  from  other  parties.;}:  The  trus- 
tees voted  to  name  their  new  building  "Chester 
Hall,"  in  honor  of  Dr.  Chester,  and  set  about 
the  work  with  great  earnestness  and  enthusiasm. 

A  similar  enterprise  was  set  on  foot  about  this 

*  Statement  of  O  L.  Edwards.  Compare  erroneous  statements  in 
various  State  Un.vert-ity  catalogues,  Kant>as  "  Herd  Book."  and  oilier 
places,  with  true  date  of  opening,  as  shown  by/r.<»7(»r«<rAV/W'//<Yj«.Sept. 
23,  18511. 

t  l.nivrence  Republican,  Aug.  11,  1859. 

\  History  of  Lawrence  Presbyterian  Church,  by  Dr.  Osmond,  lf-88, 
p.  11. 


54  History  of  the  University. 

time  by  the  Congregational  Church  of  Kansas. 
The  "Association  of  Congregational  Ministers 
of  Kansas"  at  an  early  day*  determined  upon 
the  establishment  of  a  college  in  Kansas  Ter- 
ritory. Topeka  made  the  first  proposition  to 
secure  the  location  of  their  college  but  evidently 
promised  more  by  way  of  inducement  than  she 
could  fulfill.  Accordingly,  at  a  meeting  held  at 
Lawrence  in  June,  1859,  a  proposition  was  made 
to  secure  for  Lawrence  the  establishment  of  an 
educational  institution  to  be  called  "Monumental 
College,11!  designed  to  commemorate  the  tri- 
umph of  liberty  over  slavery  in  Kansas,  and  to 
serve  as  a  memorial  of  those  who  assisted  in 
achieving  that  victory.  The  trustees  of  the 
Amos  Lawrence  fund,  with  the  consent  of  Mr. 
Lawrence,  signified  their  willingness  to  make 
over  that  fund  to  "Monumental  College,1'  ^  on 
condition  that  the  Congregationalists  should 
have  control  of  the  institution.  By  a  subscrip- 
tion the  incorporators  had  obtained  donations 
of  a  large  amount  of  land,  numerous  town  lots 
and  money  pledges,  all  together  estimated  vari- 
ously at  from  $40,000  to  $70,000.  "The 
interest  of  the  people  of  Lawrence  in  this  move- 

*Minutes  of  meeting,  April  25-27,  1857. 
t  Congregational  Record,  p.  45. 
%  Congregational  Record,  p.  46. 


History  of  the  University.  55 

ment  may  be  seen  from  the  fact  that  this  whole 
sum  was  secured  in  a  little  over  three  days. 
The  paper  on  which  the  names  of  the  donors 
are  signed  makes  a  roll  some  eight  feet  long." 

The  Association  almost  unanimously  accepted 
the  proposition  of  the  incorporators,  and  Mr.  S. 
N.  Simpson,  of  Lawrence,  went  to  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  presented  the  cause  to  prominent 
men  of  the  denomination.  The  undertaking  re- 
ceived the  attention  of  many  prominent  men  of 
the  Congregational  f  and  other  churches.  But 
in  spite  of  these  fair  promises,  the  drought  of 
1860  and  the  consequent  hard  times  prostrated 
the  enterprise,  and  nothing  substantial  was  ac- 
complished. The  association  of  ministers  again 
took  up  the  question  in  1863  and  located  their 
college  at  Topeka,  \  and  Washburn  College  is  the 
result  of  their  efforts. 

The  claim  of  the  Congregationalists§  that  they 
were  likely  to  secure  the  Amos  Lawrence  fund 
for  their  proposed  college  caused  uneasiness 
among  the  Presbyterians,  but  the  latter  had  the 
lead,  and  pushed  forward  the  work  of  building 

*  Lawrence  Republican,  June  2,  1859. 

tSce  Springfield  (  Mass  )  Rf publican  and  Roston  Journal,  as  quoted 
in  iMwrence  Republican  and  Congregational  Record. 
}  Congregational  Record,  Vol.  V,  p.  79. 
8  Congregational  Record,  p.  40. 


56  History  of  the  University. 

as  rapidly  as  possible.  Large  quantities  of  brick, 
stone  and  lumber  were  hauled  to  the  hill  and 
masons  were  employed  in  laying  a  foundation 
for  the  building.  On  the  eighteenth  of  October, 
1859,  the  Free  Masons,  then  in  session  in  the 
city,  publicly  laid  the  corner  stone,  and  Solon  O. 
Thacher  and  others  delivered  speeches  appro- 
priate to  the  occasion.*  Work  was  pushed  on 
until  cold  weather  compelled  the  workmen  to 
cease.  Meanwhile  denominational  jealousy  was 
doing  its  work,  f  and  there  was  a  general  feeling 
of  dissatisfaction  with  the  financial  management 
of  Dr.  Miner,  \  who  had  gone  to  Boston,  where 
he  had  made  an  unfavorable  impression  on 
Amos  Lawrence.  §  Work  could  not  be  resumed 
the  following  spring  because  of  difficulty  in  se- 
curing cash  to  pay  expenses.  The  workmen  and 
contractors  had  been  paid  but  little,  and  the 
Educational  Board  was  unwilling  to  sink  money 
in  a  failing  cause.  The  hard  times  consequent 
upon  the  drought  of  1860  decided  the  fate  of 
the  cause.  It  could  not  be  carried  to  comple- 
tion. Dr.  Miner,  however,  insisted  on  the  ful- 
fillment of  the  pledge  of  the  Educational  Board, 

*  Lawrence  Republican,  Oct.  20,  1859. 

t  Letter  of  Rev.  Wm.  Bishop,  Salina,  Kas. 

i  Statements  of  Sam.  Reynolds,  C.  Robinson  and  others. 

fc  Statement  of  C.  Robinson. 


History  of  the  University.  57 

bat  finally  made  a  compromise  proposition, 
which,  on  motion  of  Dr.  Chester,*  was  adopted, 
whereby  the  board  paid  the  sum  of  $1,523.50 
to  the  trustees  of  Lawrence  University,  and  the 
parties  mutually  released  "each  other  from  all 
obligation  that  they  may  have  been  under  or  that 
they  may  have  been  considered  to  be  under." 
This  payment  was  made  in  the  fall  of  1860.  A 
previous  payment  of  one  hundred  dollars  had 
been  made  in  January,  1859,  and  this  sum  of 
$1,623.50  represents  substantially  the  amount 
actually  invested  by  the  Presbyterians  in  Law- 
rence University.  They  had,  however,  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  material  on  the  ground  and 
debts  of  about  equal  amount.  Liens  aggregating 
$3,000  or  $4,000  were  made  by  sub-contractors 
upon  the  property.  The  general  feeling  was 
that  the  project  had  failed,  f 

Many,  however,  were  unwilling  to  see  the  plan 
of  a  college  for  Lawrence  given  up.  A  new  board 
of  trustees  was,  therefore,  formed  and  a  new 
institution  chartered  by  the  Territorial  Legisla- 
ture of  1861,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Episcopal 
Church.  The  name  of  the  new  organization  was 
"Lawrence  University  of  Kansas."  The  trus- 

*  Record  of  Educational  Board,  supplied  by  Dr.  D.  W.  Poor,  Phila- 
delphia 

tStntriMciits  of  R.  <;.  Elliott  mid  others. 


58  History  of  the  University. 

tees  named  in  the  charter  were:  Chas.  Reynolds, 
Chas.  Robinson,  Chas.  E.  Miner,  H.  J.  Canniff, 
C.  W.  Babcock,  Geo.W.  Deitzler,  Win.  H.  Hick- 
cox,  Geo.  W.  Smith,  J.  M.  Bodine,  Caleb  S. 
Pratt,  Samuel  Reynolds,  Geo.  Ford,  Jas.  Blood, 
N.  O.  Preston,  John  Foreman,  R.  G.  Elliott,  L. 
Bullene  and  S.  A.  Riggs.* 

Rev.  Chas.  Reynolds,  rector  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  of  Lawrence,  was  the  principal  agent  of 
the  enterprise.  Contributions  were  again  sought 
in  the  East,  and  liberal  responses  were  received. 
Among  the  most  liberal  contributors  were  John 
David  Woolfe,  of  New  York,  and  Amos  A.  Law- 
rence, of  Boston,  f 

By  arrangement  with  the  Presbyterians,  a 
board  of  appraisers^:  was  chosen  and  the  founda- 
tion and  materials  collected  on  Mt.  Oread  were 
appraised.  Liens  to  the  amount  of  $3,000  or 
$4,000  were  held  against  this  property  by  mechan- 
ics and  sub-contractors.  The  value  of  the  prop- 
erty as  determined  by  the  appraisers  was  about 
equal  to  the  sum  of  such  claims,  and  on  condition 
that  the  Episcopalian  board  would  satisfy  these 
creditors  the  Presbyterians  surrendered  their 

'Private  Laws,  1861. 

1  Letter  from  Rev  R.  W.  Oliver,  March  30, 1891. 
JFor  a  different  and  erroneous  statement  of  this  matter,  see  "  His- 
torical Sketch  of  First  Presbyterian  Church,  of  Lawrence,  Kas.,  1888," 

P  12. 


History  of  the  University.  59 

claims.  By  further  arrangement  with  the  cred- 
itors, their  claims  were  all  paid  on  the  basis  of 
sixty -five  cents  on  the  dollar.* 

In  consequence  of  some  adverse  criticism  of 
the  management  of  Chas.  Reynolds,  the  Amer- 
ican Church  Missionary  Society,  through  whose 
agency  support  for  the  undertaking  was  secured, 
withdrew  its  support. 

Mr.  Reynolds  afterwards  resigned,  and  en- 
tered the  United  States  army  as  a  chaplain. 
Rev.  R.  W.  Oliver,  who  was  sent  out  as  his  suc- 
cessor, was  commissioned  by  the  society  to  in- 
vestigate the  charges  of  mismanagement  and 
decide  as  to  the  advisability  of  continuing  the 
work.  lie  found  the  charges  groundless,  but 
decided  that  it  was  not  best  to  continue  the  work 
immediately,  f  The  war  interfered,  and  practi- 
cally nothing  more  was  done. 

About  two  years  later  the  proposition  to  build 
a  city  school  on  Mt.  Oread  was  revived.  On 
the  12th  of  August,  1863,  the  city  council  ap- 
pointed a  committee  "to  enter  upon  and  take 
posession  of  the  city  property  on  Oread  Hill, 
and  the  foundation  erected  there  for  college  pur- 

*  Statement  of  It.  G.  Elliott,  who  paid  the  money  in  settlement  of 
these  claims 

t  Letter  from  R.  W.  Oliver,  who  adds:  "  He  (Rev.  Chas.  Reynolds) 
had  paid  the  Presbyterians  in  full  for  all  their  claims,  and  I  got  their 
receipt  in  full  for  all  demands." 


60  History  of  the  University. 

poses,  the  several  societies  to  whom  it  had  been 
leased  having  failed  to  comply  with  the  lease  or 
contract  entered  into  with  the  city,  thereby 
forfeiting  said  property."*  furthermore,  a  mo- 
tion was  made  to  issue  bonds  to  the  amount  of 
$10,000  "for  the  purpose  of  completing  the 
school  building  on  Mt.  Oread."  On  August 
19th,  the  mayor  reported  that  formal  possession 
of  the  property  had  been  taken  in  the  name  of 
the  city.  Quantrell\i  raid,  which  occurred  two 
days  after  this  report,  decided  the  fate  of  this 
movement  for  the  time;  but  a  year  later  the  city 
again  asserted  its  claim  to  Mt.  Oread.  Rev.  R. 
W.  Oliver  protested  against  the  city's  action,  as 
the  following  significant  letter  of  remonstrance 
will  show :  f 

"To  the  lion.  Mayor  Ludington  and   City  Council  of  Law- 
rence — 

"  GENTS  :  Your  reply  to  my  last  communication  is  before 
me.  It'  the  affair  stood  respecting  the  property  on  college 
hill  as  you  honestly  suppose,  your  proposal  to  lay  hold  upon 
the  building  for  city  property  without  remuneration  would 
not  in  my  judgment  be  generous.  But  when,  on  the  express 
authority  of  Rev.  Mr.  Reynolds,  I  am  justified  in  believing 
that  a  consideration  for  the  aforementioned  woi-k  was  pro- 
posed and  accepted  by  a  former  mayor  of  your  city,  I  am 
justified  in  asking  you  to  reconsider  your  judgment.  I  have 
no  mind  to  stand  in  the  way  of  public  improvements,  and 

*  Council  proceedings,  Aug.  12th,  1863. 

t  Quoted  from  council  proceedings,  Sept.  7,  1864. 


History  of  the  (Tfriversity.  61 

more  especially  when  the  improvements  look  towards  the 
education  of  the  rising  generation.  Had  your  judgments 
been  of  a  friendly  and  contrary  character,  1  would  now  be 
pushing  forward,  on  a  small  but  efficient  scale,  a  public  im- 
provement for  educational  purposes. 

"I  lay  no  claim  to  any  lands  or  lots;  but  simply  as  in 
my  judgment  neither  a  former  mayor  of  Lawrence  nor  Rev. 
Mr.  Reynolds  had  the  individual  right  to  convey  away  the 
rights  of  others  without  their  expressly  having  authorized 
them  so  to  do,  that  the  case  presents  itself  to  your  honest  in- 
stincts and  judgments  for  such  action  in  the  case  as  will 
place  all  parties  right  before  a  just  public  sentiment.  Hon. 
Judge  G.  W.  Smith  is  officially  appointed  to  enter  into  any 
arrangement  with  you  on  the  part  of  the  vestry  of  Trinity 
Church. 

"I  am,  gents,  yours  faithfully, 

"R.  W.  OLIVEB." 

A  few  months  later  Mr.  Oliver  was  elected 
Chancellor  of  the  State  University  and  secured 
the  donation  of  the  claims  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  to  the  State.* 

II.    THE  FULFILLMENT. 

The  first  constitution  of  Kansas  Territory, 
adopted  at  Topeka  in  December,  1855,  in  the 
third  section  of  its  seventh  article  provided  that 
"The  General  Assembly  may  take  measures  for 
the  establishment  of  a  university,  with  such 
branches  as  the  public  convenience  may  hereaf- 
ter demand,  for  the  promotion  of  literature,  the 

*  Regents'  record,  p.  13. 


62  History  of  the  University. 

arts,  sciences,  medical  and  agricultural  instruc- 
tion." A  year  and  a  half  later  the  Free-State 
Legislature  which  met  at  Topeka,  June  9,  1857, 
enacted  five  laws,  one  of  which  was  "For  estab- 
lishing a  State  University,  at  Lawrence."* 

The  framers  of  the  Lecompton  constitution, 
in  September,  1857,  although  possibly  outdone 
by  their  Free-State  brethren  in  zeal  for  the 
founding  of  a  university,  nevertheless  in  the 
fourth  section  of  the  ordinance  appended  to  the 
constitution  enacted  — 

"That  seventy-two  sections,  or  two  entire  townships, 
shall  be  designated  by  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
which  shall  be  reserved  for  the  use  of  a  seminary  of  learn- 
ing, and  appropriated  by  the  Legislature  of  said  State  solely 
to  the  use  of  said  seminary." 

Again,  the  Leavenworth  constitution,  adopted 
by  the  Free-State  men  in  April.  1858,  in  the 
seventh  section  of  its  seventh  article  provides 
that  — 

"As  the  means  of  the  State  will  admit,  educational  insti- 
tutions of  a  higher  grade  shall  be  established  by  law,  so  as 
to  form  a  complete  system  of  public  instruction,  embracing 
the  primary,  normal,  preparatory,  collegiate  and  university 
departments." 

And,  finally,  the  Wyandotte  constitution, 
adopted  in  July,  1859,  provided  in  the  seventh 
section  of  the  sixth  article  that  — 

*  Wikler's  Annals  of  Kansas,  p.  169. 


History  of  the  University.  63 

"Provision  shall  be  made  by  law  for  the  establishment, 
at  some  eligible  and  central  point,  of  a  state  university,  for 
the  promotion  of  literature  and  the  arts  and  sciences,  in- 
cluding a  normal  and  agricultural  department.  All  funds 
arising  from  the  sale  or  rents  of  lauds  granted  by  the  United 
States  to  the  State  for  the  support  of  a  state  university,  and 
all  other  grants,  donations  or  bequests,  either  by  the  State 
or  by  individuals,  for  such  purposes,  shall  remain  a  perpetual 
fund,  to  be  called- the  '  university  fund,'  the  interest  of  which 
shall  be  appropriated  to  the  support  of  a  state  university. 

"Sec.  8.  No  religious  sect  or  sects  shall  ever  control  any 
part  of  the  common  school  or  university  funds  of  the  State." 

By  the  act  of  the  admission  of  Kansas  into 
the  Union,  approved  by  President  Buchanan 
January  29,  1861,  the  Wyandotte  constitution 
became  the  constitution  of  the  State  of  Kansas, 
and,  therefore,  the  last  sections  above  quoted 
form  the  constitutional  provision  for  a  State 
University  of  Kansas.  By  an  act  of  Congress, 
approved  on  the  day  of  the  admission  of  Kan- 
sas to  statehood,  it  was  ordered  — 

"That  seventy-two  sections  of  land  shall  be  set  apart 
and  reserved  for  the  use  and  support  of  a  state  university, 
to  be  selected  by  the  Governor  of  said  State,  subject  to  the 
approval  of  the  Commissioner  of  the  General  Land  Office, 
and  to  be  appropriated  and  applied  in  such  manner  as  the 
Legislature  of  said  State  may  prescribe,  for  the  purposes 
aforesaid,  but  for  no  other  purpose." 

The  city  of  Lawrence  had  long  been  regarded 
as  the  literary  metropolis  of  Kansas,  by  her  own 


64  History  of  the  University. 

citizens,  at  least,  and  when  the  question  of  loca- 
tion of  state  institutions  came  up  for  considera- 
tion, the  people  of  Lawrence  preferred  to  secure 
the  State  University  to  any  other  institution,  even 
the  capital.  They  based  their  preference  on  the 
belief  that  Lawrence  was  too  far  east  to  be  able 
to  hold  the  capital;  that  the  State  University 
would  be  a  greater  attraction  to  population,  and 
that,  even  if  greater  numbers  should  not  be  at- 
tracted by  it,  the  literary  influence  of  the  Uni- 
versity would  at  any  rate  compensate  for  the 
difference  in  material  advantage.  In  the  loca- 
tion of  the  capital,  therefore,  the  people  of  To- 
peka  had  their  desire,  and  it  is  claimed  that,  by 
tacit  understanding,  at  least,  Lawrence  was  to 
have  the  University.  *  But  as  enterprising  towns 
were  more  numerous  than  desirable  state  institu- 
tions, the  Lawrence  people  were  given  to  under- 
stand that  the  University,  with  its  grant  of 
seventy-two  sections  of  land,  would  not  be  yielded 
to  them  without  a  struggle.  However,  as  the 
various  denominational  enterprises  for  the  found- 
ing of  a  college  at  Lawrence  had  failed,  the 
"Amos  Lawrence  fund"  was  still  intact,  and,  at 
the  request  of  the  trustees  of  the  fund,  Mr.  Law- 
rence had  expressed  a  willingness  that  it  should 

*  Statements  of  Richard  Cordley,  J.  G.  Haskell  and  others. 


History  of  the  University.  65 

be  employed  as  an  endowment  fund  for  a  State 
University,  if  its  location  could  be  secured  for 
the  city  of  Lawrence.  Interest  on  the  original 
notes  had  been  accruing  for  some  time,  and  the 
fund  now  amounted  to  about  $15,000,  which 
was  still  in  the  hands  of  Lawrence  University, 
Wisconsin. 

The  first  attempt  to  locate  the  State  Univer- 
sity under  the  constitution  was  a  proposition 
made  in  1861  in  favor  of  Manhattan,  where  the 
Methodists  already  had  a  school  in  operation, 
under  the  name  of  Bluemont  College.  The  bill 
for  this  location  passed  both  houses  of  the 
Legislature,  but  was  promptly  vetoed  by  Gov- 
ernor Robinson,*  who  thought  the  movement 
premature.  The  question  did  not  come  up 
again  until  1863.  In  the  meantime  Congress 
had  made  a  magnificent  grant  of  land  for  an 
agricultural  college.  Manhattan  waived  her 
claims  to  the  University  and  without  a  contest f 
secured  the  location  of  the  Agricultural  College. 

To  secure  the  University,  the  city  of  Law- 
rence offered  an  endowment  of  $15,000,  and 
forty  acres  of  ground  adjoining  .the  city  for  a 
campus.  At  that  time  the  city  of  Emporia 

*Fet  article  of  Prof.  Walters,  In  The  Industrialist,  April  18th,  1891. 
•  House  8iid  Senate  Journals.  isc,:j 

-5 


66  History  of  the  University. 

was  the  chief  competitor  in  the  race,  and  her 
representative,  C.  V.  Eskridge,  came  forward 
with  that  city's  proposition  to  give  eighty  acres 
of  ground  adjoining  Emporia  as  a  site.  Em- 
poria's  representative  had  come  to  the  Leg- 
islature bound  by  a  promise  to  secure  for  his 
constituents  the  State  University.*  He  evidently 
had  the  odds  against  him.  A  fair  majority  of 
the  legislators  were,  doubtless,  in  favor  of  Law- 
rence at  the  opening  of  the  session,  f  but  by 
the  diligence  and  ready  promises  of  Emporia' s 
representative  many  were  inclined  to  support 
Emporia.  Mr.  Eskridge  introduced  House 
Bill  No.  122,  "To  establish  the  State  Univer- 
sity at  Emporia,"  which  finally  became  the  law, 
but  not  until  its  text  had  been  radically  changed 
and  its  title  shorn  of  the  fond  words  "at  Em- 
poria." The  fight  was  one  of  the  most  earnest 
and  memorable  ever  fought  in  a  Kansas  Legis- 
lature, %  and  was  watched  with  interest  by  the 
whole  State.  The  Topeka  correspondent  of  the 
Leavenworth  Conservative,  Feb.  6,  1863,  says: 
"To-day,  in  the  discussion  in  the  House  upon  the  bills 
for  locating  the  University,  Mr.  Eskridge  made  a  pointed  and 
telling  speech  in  support  of  Emporia. 

*  Statement  of  J.  S.  Emery. 

t  Statement  of  Edward  Russell 

%  Letter  of  C.  V.  Eskridge,  Mar.  30, 189J. 


History  of  the  University.  67 

"  There  have  been  a  host  of  lobby  members  here  from 
Lawrence,  working  to  secure  the  supremacy  of  that  place  in 
this  contest.  To-day  Judge  Miller,  the  postmaster,  and  Mr. 
U.  S.  Assessor  Legate,  and  Messrs.  Blood,  Hortou  and  others, 
were  around  the  halls  and  hotels,  anxious  and  diligent." 

The  correspondent  of  the  same  paper  again 
writes,  Feb.  11: 

"The  result  of  the  great  university  contest  is  already 
known  to  you.  The  discussion  was  conducted  in  the  feudal 
manner,  by  champions.  The  first  tilt  occurred  on  Friday, 
the  6th,  when  Mr.  Eskridge,  of  Emporia,  met  the  speech  of 
Mr.  Emery,  of  Lawrence,  at  all  points,  and  bore  away  the 
palm  of  victory  and  the  plaudits  of  the  assembly.  Again 
the  battle  joined,  on  Monday,  the  9th,  and  at  evening  neither 
foe  was  unhorsed  nor  out  of  breath.  Till  late  in  the  night 
the  contest  raged,  here  and  there  a  follower  of  the  chiefs 
getting  involved,  and  one  of  the  clan  Douglas,  one  Foster  by 
name,  was  so  buffeted,  splashed  and  rudely  upset  in  attempt- 
ing a  side  attack  on  Eskridge,  that  he  was  taken  off  the  field 
well  nigh  deatl. 

"The  decision  finally  came.  A  vote  was  taken  —  it  was 
a  tie.  Mr.  [Ed.]  Russell,  of  Doniphau,  being  in  the  chair, 
and  an  ally  of  Lawrence,  the  result  was  in  favor  of  the  city 
known  as  the  literary  metropolis — not  the  hub,  but  as  one 
may  say,  the  linch-pin  of  Kansas., 

"Upon  this  question,  with  which  it  was  supposed  rail- 
road interests  had  become  involved,  through  the  diligent  log 
rolling  of  the  entire  session,  the  Henderson  amendment  men 
and  the  entire  Douglas  tier  of  counties,  including  the  neigh- 
boring county  of  Jefferson,  north  of  the  Kansas,  were  early 
combined.  This  made  twenty-live  votes  for  Lawrence.  The 
jealousy,  which  is  ancient,  and  in  the  nature  of  tilings  ine- 
radicable, between  the  first  and  second  tiers  of  counties  would 


68  History  of  the  University. 

ordinarily  prevent  any  combination  of  their  forces  in  a  ques- 
tion upon  which  depends  the  great  north  and  south  railroad 
line.  Yet,  strange  to  say,  by  some  enchantment  every  mem- 
ber for  Johnson,  Miami  and  Linn  counties  (except  Mr.  Chris- 
tie, who  lies  dangerously  ill,  and  Mr.  Campbell )  was  induced 
tj  support  Lawrence.  Besides  whom  four  of  the  Leaven- 
worth  delegation,  animated  solely  by  conscientious  consider- 
ations, according  to  the  declarations  of  Mr.  Brown,  went  on 
this  side,  the  other  four  passing  by  on  that.  Thus  were 
secured  thirty-eight  votes;  and  so  far  as  the  House  is  con- 
cerned, thus  was  located  the  University,  near  the  commercial 
center,  the  military  depot,  denominated  Lawrence." 

In  the  Conservative  of  March  3d,  the  same 
correspondent  speaks  of  one  Jefferson  county 
member  "who  stood  nobly  aloof  from  the  Plen- 
derson- amendment -Lawrence-  University -Osa- 
watomie-Insane-Asylum  coalition.  The  sad  fact 
remains  to  be  confessed  that  two  members  from 
that  county  were  drawn  into  the  vortex  of  that 
engulfing  maelstrom,  and  were  carried  away  by 
the  undertow."  There  was  probably  much  less 
of  a  combination  in  favor  of  Lawrence  than  this 
account  alleges,*  and  reference  is  made  to  it 
chiefly  to  show  the  fervor  of  local  feeling  in  the 
contest.  The  bill  came  up  for  decision  in  the 
Senate  on  Feb.  llth,f  and  passed  without  a 
contest,  arid  received  the  approval  of  Gov.  Car- 
ney Feb.  20th,  and  so  became  a  law. 

*  Statement  of  Ed.  Kussell.     M.eavenworth  Conservative,  Feb.  83. 


History  of  the  University.  .  69 

The  bill  provided  for  the  appointment  by  the 
Governor  of  three  commissioners,  whose  duty 
it  should  be  to  locate  the  State  University.  The 
specific  duty  of  the  commission  was  to  examine 
proposed  sites,  make  proper  selection,  require  a 
good  and  sufficient  title  for  the  location  without 
cost  to  the  State,  and  make  a  full  and  impartial 
report  to  the  Governor  on  or  before  the  first  day 
of  May,  1863.*  In -case  of  .the  failure  of  Law- 
rence to  secure  a  site  of  forty  acres  adjacent  to 
the  city  and  to  deposit  an  endowment  fund  of 
$15,000  with  the  State  Treasurer  within  six 
months  after  location  by  the  commissioners,  the 
provisions  of  the  act  should  be  null  and  void. 
And  in  that  event,  the  proposition  of  Emporia 
to  grant  an  eligible  site  within  or  adjacent  to 
that  city  should  be  accepted  by  the  State  as  the 
location  of  the  University,  and  the  Governor 
should  issue  his  proclamation  accordingly. 

The  commissioners  appointed  were  S.  M. 
Thorp,  Josiah  Miller  arid  I.  T.  Goodnow,  who 
met  at  Lawrence  in  March,  and  spent  some  days 
in  examining  grounds  adjacent  to  the  city,f  and 
adjourned  to  hold  a  final  meeting  at  Lawrence 
on  April  25th,  when  the  city  council  met  in 

'General  \.-.\\\~  1803,  p.  115. 
t  Commissioners1  report,  1803. 


70  History  of  the  University. 

special  session  to  consider  a  proposition  to  pur- 
chase a  tract  of  land  for  the  University  site. 
The  commissioners  were  present  and  "made 
some  very  interesting  remarks  in  reference  to 
the  location  of  the  same."*  Chas.  Robinson 
came  forward  with  a  proposition  to  furnish  the 
required  forty  acres  from  his  land  above  the 
city,  on  condition  that  the  council  would  deed 
to  him  a  half  block  of  land  lying  south  of  the 
school  foundation,  on  Mt.  Oread. 

A  committee  of  the  council  was  appointed  to 
confer  with  Robinson  and  report  two  days  later. 
In  their  report  they  recommended  the  accept- 
ance of  the  proposition,  provided  Robinson 
would  give  bond  to  allow  the  city  the  privilege 
of  redeeming  the  half  block  within  six  months 
for  the  sum  of  $1,000.  The  mayor  was,  ac- 
cordingly, ordered  to  sign  a  deed  of  conveyance, 
and  Robinson  secured  to  the  State  the  transfer 
of  the  University  campus,  f 

Greater  difficulties  were  encountered  in  secur- 
ing the  endowment  fund  of  $15,000.  It  had 
been  supposed  that  the  notes,  with  the  accrued 
interest,  against  Lawrence  University,  Wiscon- 

*  Council  proceedings,  p.  402. 

t  About  half  the  campus  was  the  property  of  Mrs.  Robinson,  who 
received  for  her  share  something  over  <£<>i)0  from  the  citizens  of  Law- 
rence. (Statements  of  C.  Robinson  and  Pred.  Read. ) 


History  of  the  University.  71 

sin,  could  be  collected  without  difficulty.  Amos 
A.  Lawrence  generously  offered  to  assist  in  the 
collection*  and  conferred  with  that  institution 
in  regard  to  settlement  of  the  claim.  The  offi- 
cers expressed  a  willingness  to  do  all  in  their 
power,  but  were  unable  to  pay  the  principal. 
They  offered,  however,  to  pay  the  interest, 
which  then  amounted  to  $4,400.  Thereupon, 
Mr.  Lawrence,  with  the  same  spirit  of  generos- 
ity which  had  prompted  his  original  gift,  agreed, 
upon  surrender  of  the  notes  by  the  trustees,  to 
give  the  State  $10,000  in  cash.  It  was  ex- 
pected to  make  up  the  required  fifteen  thousand 
by  the  collection  of  the  interest  above  alluded 
to  and  a  note  held  by  Chas.  Robinson  against 
the  Congregational  Society,  of  Lawrence,  for 
$000,  which  was  unappropriated  interest  belong- 
ing to  the  fund.  It  finally  proved  impossible 
to  collect  either  of  these  sums  in  time  to  meet 
the  requirements  of  the  legislative  act,  and  the 
citizens  of  Lawrence  were  obliged  to  bestir 
themselves  to  make  up  the  sum  from  their  own 
resources.  They  had  no  ready  money,  but 
many  men  in  business  had  credit.  They,  there- 
fore, gave  a  personal  note  amply  signed  and 

*  Correspondence  with  Chas.  Robinson. 


72  History  of  the  University. 

amply  secured  for  the  sum  of  $5,000.'x'  In  the 
meantime  the  city  of  Lawrence  was  laid  in  ruins, 
August  21st,  by  Quantrell's  raid,  and  the  re- 
sources of  the  people  were  gone.  All  interests 
for  the  time  were  prostrated,  but  the  friends  of 
the  University  did  not  fail  to  rally  in  time  to 
save  the  institution  for  Lawrence.  One  of  these 
friends,  Gov.  Carney,  of  Leavenworth,  came  to 
the  rescue,  and  cashed  the  citizens'  note  of  $5,- 
000.  The  city  was  thus  enabled  to  deposit  the 
necessary  sum  with  the  State  Treasurer  f  on 
October  29th.  The  Governor's  proclamation 
declaring  the  institution  permanently  located  at 
Lawrence  was  made  November  2d,  1863.^: 

Gov.  Carney's  message  to  the  Legislature,  in 
January,  1864,  contained  the  following  reference 
to  this  matter: 

"I  submit  the  report  (with  accompanying  papers)  of  the 
commissioners  appointed  to  locate  the  State  University. 
This  institution  is  located  at  Lawrence.  I  obeyed  the  act 
of  the  Legislature,  approved  Feb.  20th,  and  made  proc- 
lamation of  the  fact  on  Monday,  the  3d  day  of  Novem- 
ber, 1863.  The  requirements  of  the  act  were  all  complied 
with.  A  generous  and  earnest  friend  of  education  and 
Kansas,  Amos  Lawrence,  of  Boston,  Mass.,  gave  $10,000 
to  it;  the  citizens  of  Lawrence  advanced  $5,000,  making 

*  Statement  of  Chas.  Robinson. 
t  Treasurer's  Report,  1863,  p.  8. 
i  Public  Documents,  1863,  report  of  commissioners. 


History  of  the  University.  73 

the  amount  required,  which  sum  has  been  deposited  with 
the  Treasurer  of  State.  I  am  loth  to  recommend  the  ex- 
penditure of  money  devoted  by  law  to  specific  objects;  but 
I  think  this  case  so  clearly  exceptional  that  I  do  not  hesitate 
to  urge  the  Legislature  to  return  to  the  citizens  of  Lawrence 
the  amount  contributed  by  them.  Their  gift  we  know  was 
a  generous  one;  it  was  noble  as  well  as  generous.  In  a  fell 
hour  they  lost,  as  it  were,  their  all.  Rebel  assassins  did 
the  fatal  work.  Where,  then,  the  patriot  heart  in  the  State 
that  would  not  say  promptly,  'Return  to  those  public- 
spirited  men  the  generous  gift  which  when  wealthy  they 
promised,  and  which  promise  when  poor  they  fulfilled?' 
Where  the  legislator,  knowing  these  facts  so  honorable  to 
them  and  to  humanity  itself,  who  would  hesitate  in  meeting 
this  wish  of  the  people,  and  of  doing  a  duty  which  the  State 
owes  to  herself  ?  " 

In  accordance  with  this  suggestion,  an  act  was 
passed  by  the  Legislature  refunding  the  money 
nominally  to  the  mayor  of  the  city  of  Lawrence,* 
and  thus  was  accomplished  the  first  unconsti- 
tutional measure  relating  to  the  funds  of  the 
University;  for  the  act  locating  the  University 
required  an  endowment  of  $15,000,  and  the  con- 
stitutional provision  relating  to  a  university  pro- 
vides "that  all  funds  arising  from  the  sale  or 
rents  of  land  granted  by  the  United  States  to  the 
State  for  the  support  of  a  state  university,  and 
all  other  grants,  donations  or  bequests,  either  by 
the  State  or  by  individuals,  for  such  purpose, 

'General  Laws  1864,  p.  194. 


74  History  of  the  University. 

shall  remain  a  perpetual  fund."  Not  content 
witli  diminishing  the  university  endowment  by 
$5,000,  the  Legislature  took  away  from  the 
$10,000  contributed  by  Amos  Lawrence  the 
sum  of  $167  to  pay  the  interest  on  the  loan  of 
Gov.  Carney.*  The  remaining  $9,833  were  in- 
vested by  the  State  Treasurer  in  State  bonds  to 
the  amount  of  $10,300, f  which  then  constituted 
the  University  fund. 

The  Legislature  of  1864  passed  a  law  to  or- 
ganize the  University.  Two  young  ladies  of 
Lawrence,  the  Misses  Chapin,  who  had  a  private 
school,  particularly  urged  the  matter  of  organi- 
zation of  the  University  at  that  time.  \  During 
the  Legislative  session  Chas.  Chadwick,  of  Law- 
rence, visited  Topeka  to  urge  the  matter  with 
the  representatives  from  Lawrence,  and  was  by 
them  instructed  to  draft  a  suitable  bill  for  the 
organization.  He  withdrew  to  a  library,  found 
a  copy  of  the  charter  of  the  State  University  of 
Michigan,  and,  with  this  as  his  model,  drafted  a 
bill  which,  with  slight  modifications,  became  the 
charter  of  the  University  of  Kansas.  § 

*  General  Laws  1864,  p.  194. 

t  Treasurer's  Report,  1864,  p.  6. 

\  Statements  of  R.  G.  Elliott  and  Chas.  Chadwick. 

§  Statement  of  Chas.  Chadwick. 


History  of  the  University.  75 

The  charter  declares  the  object  of  the  State 
University  to  be,  "To  provide  the  inhabitants 
of  this  State  witli  the  means  of  acquiring  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  various  branches  of 
literature,  science  and  the  arts."  The  govern- 
ment of  the  University  was  vested  in  a  Board  of 
Regents,  to  consist  of  a  president  and  twelve 
members,  to  be  appointed  by  the  Governor, 
with  the  State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruc- 
tion and  the  Secretary  of  State  as  ex  officlo 
members  of  the  board. 

The  University  was  declared  to  consist  of 
six  departments,  as  follows:  The  department  of 
science,  literature  and  the  arts;  the  department 
of  law;  the  department  of  medicine;  the  depart- 
ment of  theory  and  practice  of  elementary  in- 
struction; the  department  of  agriculture,  and  the 
normal  department. 

The  fee  of  admission  to  the  University  must 
never  exceed  $10,  and  to  residents  of  the  State 
the  tuition  for  one  year  in  the  departments  of 
science,  literature  and  the  arts,  and  elementary 
instruction,  must  never  exceed  $30;  and  all  tui- 
tion in  these  departments  was  to  be  free  to  resi- 
dents of  the  State  as  soon  as  the  increase  of  the 
University  fund  would  permit. 

The  Regents  were  given  the  ordinary  powers 


76  History  of  the  University. 

usually  belonging  to  such  bodies.  The  Uni- 
versity was  declared  to  consist  of  two  branches, 
a  male  and  a  female  branch.  "The  female 
branch  may  be  taught  exclusively  by  women, 
and  buildings  for  that  branch  shall  be  entirely 
separate  from  the  buildings  of  the  male  branch. 
And  to  establish  and  maintain  the  said  female 
branch,  the  Regents  shall  annually  appropriate 
a  sufficient  amount  out  of  the  funds  of  the  Uni- 
versity. ' '  * 

The  last  provision  was  not  a  part  of  the  orig- 
inal draft  by  Chas.  Chadwick.  At  the  suggestion 
of  many  citizens  of  progressive  ideas,  he  had  in- 
serted a  provision  for  equal  educational  privi- 
leges of  both  sexes  in  the  University,  but  this 
radical  proposition  was  on  the  point  of  defeat- 
ing the  bill,  whereupon  the  concession  was  made 
to  the  conservative  element  in  the  Legislature, 
and  the  provision  for  the  two  branches  became 
the  law.  However,  this  provision  has  been  per- 
sistently and  constantly  overridden  from  the 
opening  of  the  institution,  and  the  day  of  the 
possible  enforcement  of  this  dead  letter  has  long 
since  passed  away. 

The  act  of  organization  was  approved  March 
1st,  1864,  and  on  the  next  day  the  following 

*  General  Laws  1864,  pp.  195-8. 


History  of  the  University.  77 

gentlemen  were  appointed  Regents:  Chas.  Rob- 
inson, J.  D.  Liggett, E.  J.  Mitchell, Geo.  A.Craw- 
ford, J.  S.  Emery,  A.  H.  Horton,  C.  B.  Lines, 
S.  O.  Thacher,  Geo.  A.  Moore,  John  H.  Watson, 
Samuel  A.  Kingman  and  John  A.  Steele.  *  The 
Board  as  thus  constituted  never  held  a  meeting. 
There  is  no  record  of  futile  atttempts  to  hold 
meetings,  but  the  following  resolution  passed  at 
the  first  meeting  is  significant: 

"Resolved,  That,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Regents  present, 
in  filling  vacancies  in  the  Board  of  Regents,  the  State  execu- 
tive should  have  reference  to  the  appointment  of  such  per- 
sons as  will  attend  the  meetings  of  the  Board."  f 

The  first  meeting  was  held  in  the  city  council 
rooms  of  Lawrence,  March  21st,  1865.  By  res- 
ignations of  several  members  and  the  decease 
of  John  A.  Steele,  the  personnel  of  the  Board 
was  materially  changed  by  this  time.  The  Board 
then  consisted  of  Chas.  Robinson,  J.  D.  Liggett, 
E.  M.  Bartholow,  Theo.  C.  Sears,  J.  S.  Emery, 
C.  K.  Holliday,  C.  B.  Lines,  S.  O.  Thacher,  G. 
W.  Paddock,  W.  A.  Starrett,  D.  P.  Mitchell,  J.  S. 
Wever,  with  Isaac  T.  Goodnow,  Superintendent 

*  List  furnished  from  records  of  the  Secretary  of  State,  Topeka. 
By  amendment  to  the  University  charter  in  1H73,  the  number  of  .Regents 
was  reduced  from  twelve  to  «ix,  exclusive  of  the  Chancellor,  and  the 
Secretary  of  Stale  and  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction  were  no 
longer  included  as  ex  officio  members. 

tltest'iits'  record. 


78  History  of  the  University. 

of  Public  Instruction,  and  R.  A.  Barker,  Secre- 
tary of  State,  as  ex  officio  members  of  the  Board.* 
Only  seven  of  the  fourteen  were  present,  but 
they  declared  themselves  a  majority,  and  after 
an  informal  discussion  a  permanent  organization 
was  effected  by  the  election  of  Rev.R.W.  Oliver, 
rector  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  of 
Lawrence,  as  Chancellor  and  ex  officio  President 
of  the  Board  of  Regents;  Rev.  G.  W.  Paddock, 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  as  Secretary; 
Gen.  G.  W.  Deitzler,  as  Treasurer,  and  J.  S.  Em- 
ery, as  Librarian,  f 

On  motion  of  State  Superintendent  Good- 
now,  it  was  decided  to  open  a  preparatory 
department  as  soon  as  the  citizens  of  Lawrence 
should  provide  suitable  rooms  free  of  expense 
to  the  State.  It  was  deemed  impracticable  to 
attempt  to  erect  a  building  on  the  ground  al- 
ready belonging  to  the  University.  The  founda- 
tion erected  by  the  Presbyterians  was  still 
standing  in  good  condition  on  North  College 
hill.  The  grounds  and  building  had  reverted  to 
the  city.  Some  of  the  citizens  were  in  favor  of 
the  erection  upon  this  foundation  of  a  city  high 
school  building,  but  the  altitude  of  the  hill  led 

*  Hirst  catalogue, 
t  Regents'  record 


History  of  the  University.  79 

the  authorities  to  decide  against  it.*  The  Re- 
gents, accordingly,  thought  it  desirable  to  secure 
the  ground  for  a  preparatory  school  building, 
and  expressed  themselves  as  ready  to  accept  a 
title  to  the  ground  whenever  the  city  would  put 
the  foundation  in  such  shape  that  $5,000  to 
be  supplied  by  the  Regents  would  complete  the 
building.  The  resources  of  the  Regents  then 
consisted  of  the  Congregational  note  f  of  $600, 
before  alluded  to;  over  $1,000  interest  on  Uni- 
versity endowment  fund,  and  $4,720;}:  in  cash, 
which  Chas.  Robinson  had  finally  collected  as 
interest  from  Lawrence  University,  Wisconsin. 
This  sum  was  not  sufficient  to  erect  a  building, 
so  it  was  proposed  to  secure  possession  of  a  cer- 
tain fund  originally  intended  for  another  pur- 
pose. 

Soon  after  Quantrell's  raid,  in  1863,  the 
Union  Merchants'  Exchange,  of  St.  Louis,  sent 
a  relief  fund  to  the  citizens  of  Lawrence  to  ena- 
ble them  to  rebuild  their  dwellings  and  business 
houses.  This  fund,  amounting  to  about  $9,500, 
passed  into  the  hands  of  James  B.  Laing,  Ben 

*  Interview  with  G   Grovenor. 

tThis  note  was  not  paid  until  1K72.     (Treasurer  s  report. ) 
£This  sum,  as  well  as  the  $10,000  previously  given  to  the  endow- 
ment fund,  should  be  credite.l  to  Amos  Lawrence      An  undetermimd 
portion  of  the  Boston  Lawrence  relief  fund  was  also  his  fjift. 


80  History  of  the  University. 

jamiii  L.  Baldridge  and  Wesley  H.  Duncan,* 
trustees,  by  whom  it  was  loaned  in  sums  of  not 
more  than  five  hundred  dollars  to  some  of  the 
leading  business  men  of  the  city.  The  notes, 
secured  by  real  estate,  were  to  run  five  years, 
with  interest  at  six  per  cent.,  and  when  paid  the 
money  was  to  be  used  to  found  and  maintain  a 
home  for  the  orphans  of  the  victims  of  the  raid. 
Long  before  the  maturity  of  these  notes  the 
necessity  of  an  orphans'  home  for  the  persons 
intended  by  the  donors  had  ceased  to  exist; 
besides,  the  sum  was  regarded  as  wholly  inade- 
quate to  the  object,  f  There  was,  however,  a 
considerable  number  of  the  orphans  of  the  raid 
who  would  gladly  be  recipients  of  a  free  educa- 
tion. Therefore,  the  Regents  proposed  to  the 
city  council  of  Lawrence  the  transfer  of  this 
fund  to  them  for  the  erection  of  a  University 
building,  on  condition  that  the  University  should 
furnish  a  free  education  to  all  the  orphans  of  the 
raid  who  were  willing  to  avail  themselves  of  the 
opportunity.  The  council  was  willing  on  its 
part  to  accept  the  proposition,  but  felt  some  re- 
luctance on  account  of  the  desire  of  the  donors 
of  the  fund.  Chancellor  Oliver  was,  therefore, 

*Cily  council  minutes,  June  35,  1865. 
t  Regents'  record. 


History  of  the  University.  81 

appointed  on  behalf  of  the  city  council  and  the 
Ilegents  of  the  University  to  represent  the  mat- 
ter to  the  Union  Merchants'  Exchange,  from 
whom  he  received  the  following  communication:* 

BARTON  ABLB.  President.         I 
GKO.  11.  MOKGAN,  Secretary,    f 

UNION  MERCHANTS'  EXCHANGE. 

SECRETARY'S  OFFICE, 
ST.  Louis,  Mo.,  Aug.  28,  1865. 

R.  W.  Oliver,  Esq.,  Lawrence,  Kansas — I  enclose  here- 
with the  consent  of  the  Union  Merchants'  Exchange, 
through  Barton  Able,  president,  for  the  proposed  use  of  the 
Lawrence  relief  funds.  Yours  truly, 

GEO.  II.  MORGAN,  Secretary. 

The  notes  were,  accordingly,  turned  over  to 
the  Regents,  and  by  discounting  them,  some 
fifteen  and  others  twenty  per  cent.,  about  $9,- 
000  was  realized. 

A  similar  fund  had  been  collected  in  Boston 
to  relieve  the  Quantrell  raid  sufferers  by  Amos 
A.  Lawrence f  and  others.  This  fund  originally 
amounted  to  about  $5,000,  of  which  $2,500  had 
been  distributed  immediately  after  the  raid. 
The  remaining  $2,500  had  been  loaned  in  sums 
of  $500  each  to  business  men.  Kev.  J.  S. 
Brown  was  trustee  of  this  fund,  and  negotiations 
were  entered  into  by  Chancellor  Oliver  which 
led  to  the  donation  of  this  Boston  Lawrence  re- 

*  Regents'  record.        t  State-incut  of  J.  8.  Urowu. 
—6 


82  History  of  the  University. 

lief  fund  to  the  building  fund  of  the  Regents. 
Immediate  payment  of  these  notes  was  secured 
by  discounting  some  twenty  and  some  twenty- 
five  per  cent.  * 

Still  another  relief  fund,  of  which  Gov.  Car- 
ney was  trustee,  amounting  to  $1,000,  f  was 
applied  to  the  building  fund,  after  a  discount  of 
ten  per  cent,  to  secure  immediate  payment. 

Thus  a  sufficient  sum  was  secured  to  erect  a 
building  of  suitable  dimensions  and  appoint- 
ments. 

On  the  6th  of  September,  1865,  Chancellor 
Oliver  made  formal  application  to  the  city  coun- 
cil for  a  transfer  of  the  ground  on  Mt.  Oread. 
The  request  was  granted  on  condition  that  the 
Regents  have  a  building  completed  and  a  school 
in  operation  by  the  1st  of  January,  1867.  The 
conditions  were  accepted,  and  work  was  imme- 
diately begun  to  enclose  a  building  before  the 
setting  in  of  winter,  if  possible.  It  was  neces- 
sary, however,  to  suspend  work  on  account  of 
cold  weather  when  the  building  was  about  half 
erected.  \  Work  was  resumed  again  in  the 
spring  and  pushed  rapidly  forward,  and  North 

*  Regents'  record,  pp.  40,  41. 
t  Regents'  record,  p.  40. 
\  Regents'  record, 


History  of  the  University.  83 

College,  practically  as  it  stands  now,  was  com- 
pleted by  the  middle  of  September,  1860,  at  an 
expense  of  somewhat  less  than  twenty  thousand 
dollars.* 

The  north  campus  was  riot  yet  in  satisfactory 
form.  Gen.  James  II.  Lane  owned  two  and 
three-fourths  acres  necessary  to  complete  the 
square  of  ten  acres,  and  the  good  offices  of 
Chancellor  Oliver  were  again  called  into  requi- 
sition. He  conferred  with  Gen.  Lane  and  se- 
cured bond  for  title  by  giving  his  personal  note 
for  $100.  Gen.  Lane,  however,  was  afterwards 
pleased  to  return  the  note  and  donate  the  land 
to  the  State,  f 

The  several  funds  supplied  by  outside  parties 
were  exhausted  in  building,  and  in  order  to  open 
the  University  the  State  was  called  upon  for 
aid.  The  first  appropriation  asked  for  by  the 
Regents  was  secured  without  opposition.  The 
Legislature  of  1866  appropriated  $4,000  to  be 
employed  as  compensation  of  teachers,  and 
$3,000  for  the  purchase  of  scientific  and  philo- 
sophical apparatus,  library  and  furniture.  ^ 

On  the  19th  of  July,  1866,  the  Regents  elected 

*It  will  be  observed  that  no  part  of  this  expense  was  paid  by  the 
State,  nor  by  the  city  of  Lawrence,  directly. 

t  Chancellor  Oliver's  report,  in  Regents'  record. 
J  Regents'  record,  p.  10. 


84  History  of  the  University. 

the  first  faculty  of  the  University.  In  order  to 
keep  the  control  of  the  institution  out  of  the 
hands  of  any  one  denomination,  it  was  under- 
stood that  two  professors  should  not  be  chosen 
from  the  same  denomination  until  all  the  leading 
denominations  should  have  at  least  one  repre- 
sentative in  the  faculty.*  It  is  to  be  observed 
that  the  Chancellor  was  not  at  first  regarded  a 
member  of  the  faculty,  but  as  an  officer  of  the 
Board  of  Regents,  f  It  was  decided  to  elect 
three  professors:  A  professor  of  belles  lettres 
and  mental  and  moral  science;  a  professor  of 
languages,  and  a  professor  of  mathematics  and 
natural  science. 

For  the  first  position  three  candidates  were 
named:  Dr.  Alden,  F.  H.  Snow  and  E.  J.  Rice. 
The  last-named  gentleman,  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  was  elected.  For 
the  second  position,  D.  H.  Robinson,  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  and  (tradition  says)  F.  H.  Snow  were 
nominated.  D.  H.  Robinson  received  a  major- 
ity of  the  votes,  and  was  elected.  For  the  third 
and  last  position,  F.  H.  Snow,  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church,  received  a  majority  of  the  votes 
cast,  and  was  declared  elected.:}:  In  considera- 

*  Letter  of  R.  W.Oliver. 
t  Regents'  record,  p.  38. 
%  Regents1  record,  p.  87. 


History  of  the  University.  85 

tion  of  the  greater  experience  of  Prof.  Rice  in 
educational  work,  he  was  chosen  Acting  Presi- 
dent of  the  Faculty. 

The  first  session  opened  at  North  College, 
which  was  just  on  the  point  of  completion,  on 
the  twelfth  of  September,  18(56.  Twenty-six 
young  ladies  and  twenty-nine  young  gentlemen 
applied  and  were  admitted  to  the  preparatory 
department  during  the  first  term.* 

At  the  close  of  the  year  $1,200  had  been 
drawn  from  the  state  treasury  to  pay  teachers f 
and  |1,G69.16  to  supply  the  institution  with  ap- 
paratus, furniture  and  books.  It  is  not  difficult 
to  understand  why  so  little  of  the  $4, 000  pre- 
viously appropriated  by  the  Legislature  to  pay 
teachers  was  unexpended,  but  that  more  than 
$1,300  that  might  have  been  employed  in  the 
purchase  of  books  or  apparatus  should  have  been 
allowed  to  revert  to  the  State  is  inexplicable. 

The  Legislature  of  1867  granted  an  appropri- 
ation of  $13,094.94,  and  of  this  amount  again 
$3,666.67  reverted  to  the  State.J 

During  the  summer  of  1867,  E.  J.  Rice  re- 
signed his  position  as  Professor  of  Belles  Lettres, 

t  First  catalogue. 

*The  fiscal  year  then  coincided  wi'.h  the  calendar  year. 

\  Keirents'  reiiort  for  1KIW.  p.  7.  Here  niny  be  observed  one  of  many 
discrepancies  of  thin  period  between  the  University  Treasurer's  repi.rt 
aud  the  State  Auditor's  books. 


86  History  of  the  University. 

Mental  and  Moral  Science,  and  Acting  President 
of  the  Faculty,  and  to  perform  his  duties  as  in- 
structor John  W.  Homer,  formerly  of  Baker 
University,  was  chosen.  The  faculty  was,  more- 
over, increased  by  the  election  of  Mrs.  Cynthia 
A.  Smith  as  Professor  of  French,  T.  J.  Cook  as 
Professor  of  Music,  and  Albert  Newman"-  as 
Lecturer  upon  Hygiene.  Dr.  Newman  had  vol- 
unteered his  services  the  previous  year  without 
pay,  and  was  not  the  first  year  considered  a 
member  of  the  faculty,  f 

The  attendance  the  second  year  was  almost 
100  per  cent,  greater  than  that  of  the  first  year, 
the  names  of  125  students  appearing  in  the  cat- 
alogue, of  whom  two  were  in  the  collegiate  de- 
partment. 

The  faculty  had  expressed  the  hope  in  the 
first  catalogue  that  the  preparatory  department 
might  be  dispensed  with  at  the  end  of  the  second 
year,  \  but  the  high  schools  of  the  State  had  not 
increased  in  numbers  and  efficiency  as  they  had 
hoped,  and  the  realization  of  their  hope  was  in- 
definitely postponed.  The  preparatory  depart- 
ment was  more  thoroughly  organized,  a  third 

*  Second  catalogue,  p.  5. 

t  Regents'  recoid,  p.  27. 

tin  view  of  the  fact  that  the  last  work  of  the  preparatory  depart- 
ment closed  with  this  quarter-centennial  year,  this  hope  appears  pre- 
posterous and  amusing. 


History  of  the  University.  87 

year  was  added  to  it,  and  it  became  the  settled 
purpose  of  the  University  to  maintain  this  de- 
partment, only  so  long,  however,  as  the  want  of 
suitable  preparatory  schools  should  make  its 
maintenance  necessary. 

Near  the  close  of  the  year  1867,  Chancellor 
Oliver  resigned  his  position  and  removed  from 
Lawrence  to  Kearney,  Nebraska,  to  take  charge 
of  the  divinity  chair  in  the  diocese  of  Nebraska.* 
His  services  had  been  given  from  the  first  with- 
out remuneration,  and  in  order  to  retain  him  in 
the  position  of  Chancellor  the  Regents  voted 
him  a  salary  of  $500  for  the  ensuing  year,  but 
his  resignation  was  made  before  he  received  any 
part  of  it.  His  relation  to  the  University  had 
been  of  a  business  nature  and  he  had  nothing 
to  do  with  instruction.  His  duties  had  been 
specified  by  the  Regents  as  follows:  First,  to  act 
as  general  financial  agent  for  the  University; 
second,  to  preside  at  all  the  meetings  of  the  Re- 
gents; third,  to  preside  at  all  the  meetings  of 
the  executive  committee,  when  present,  f  Al- 
though his  services  were  wholly  gratuitous,  lie 
rendered  very  valuable  aid  to  the  institution,  as 
his  success  in  raising  funds  for  the  erection  of 

*TbU  position  lie  still  holds,  a  loyal  friend  of  the  University  for 
which  he  labored  so  well. 

t  Regents'  record,  pp.  38,  39. 


88  History  of  the  University. 

North  College  amply  testifies.  He  bad  also 
been  commissioned  by  the  Regents  to  visit  east- 
ern colleges  to  find  and  recommend  suitable  per- 
sons for  the  offices  of  military  instructor  and 
permanent  President.  In  his  report  for  the  lat- 
ter position,  he  recommended  the  following  gen- 
tlemen: Rev.  Dr.  Tappan,  late  president  of  the 
University  of  Michican;  Rev.  Dr.  Bonans,  presi- 
dent of  the  university  at  Northfield,  Vt. ;  Ed- 
ward P.  Evans,  Ph.  D.,  professor  of  modern 
languages  and  literature,  University  of  Michi- 
gan; Rev.  Jas.  R.  Boise,  A.  M. ,  professor  of 
Greek  language  and  literature  in  the  University 
of  Michigan;  Henry  S.  Frieze,  A.  M.,  professor 
of  Latin  language  and  literature  in  the  Univer- 
sity of  Michigan.* 

The  dual  headship  of  the  institution  was  re- 
garded as  unsatisfactory,  and  as  both  Chan- 
cellor and  President  of  the  Faculty  had  resigned, 
the  Board  of  Regents  resolved  "that  it  is  the 
judgment  of  the  Board  that  under  the  law  the 
Chancellor  of  the  University  is  the  President  of 
the  Faculty."! 

After  much  discussion  and  serious  considera- 
tion of  the  qualifications  of  various  educators 

*  Regents'  record,  p.  47. 
t  Regents'  record,  p.  52. 


History  of  the  University.  89 

for  the  position,  a  vote  was  taken  at  the  annual 
meeting  held  Dec.  -ith,  1867,  by  which  Gen. 
John  Fraser,*  president  of  the  Agricultural 
College  of  Pennsylvania,  was  elected  Chancellor 
and  President  of  the  Faculty.  Gen.  Fraser 
entered  upon  his  official  duties  in  the  University 
on  the  17th  day  of  June,  1868.  f  The  academic 
year  1867-8  had  been  successfully  passed  under 
the  combined  management  of  the  senior  mem- 
bers of  the  faculty,  Professors  Robinson  and 
Snow.  The  catalogue  of  this  year  stated  that 
"by  the  munificence  of  the  State,  tuition  in 
the  University  has  been  made  free  in  all  depart- 
ments. No  charges  are  made,  except  an  an- 
nual contingent  fee  of  ten  dollars, "  which  was 
collected  from  all  students  except  orphans  of 
the  victims  of  Quantrell's  raid  and  honorably 
discharged  Union  soldiers.  The  resources  of 
the  institution  for  many  years  consisted  of  these 
contingent  fees,  the  interest  on  the  endowment 
fund,  which  was  then  generally  referred  to  as 
the  Amos  Lawrence  fund,  and  the  annual  ap- 
propriations made  by  the  Legislature. 

At    the    opening    in    September,    1868,   the 
faculty  had  been  considerably  changed.      Pro- 

*  Regents'  record,  p  59. 
t  Regents'  report  for  1WV.I. 


00  History  of  the  University. 

fcssors  Homer  and  Cook  had  resigned.  Chan- 
cellor Fraser  became  Professor  of  Mental  and 
Moral  Philosophy  and  Belles  Lettres,  and  S.  M. 
Newhall  was  elected  instructor  in  vocal  music, 
W.  H.  Saunders  instructor  in  chemistry,  and 
John  Folkrnann,  Ph.  D.,  instructor  in  the  Ger- 
man language  and  literature  and  drawing.  Dr. 
Newman's  title  was  changed  from  "Lecturer 
upon  Hygiene"  to  "Instructor  in  Human  Anat- 
omy and  Physiology  and  Hygiene." 

The  unusually  large  proportion  of  instructors 
in  the  faculty  was  principally  due  to  the  inability 
of  the  Regents  to  pay  full  professors'  salaries 
to  more  than  the  three  senior  members  of  the 
faculty.  The  first  difficulty  in  securing  sufficient 
appropriations  was  experienced  with  the  Legis- 
lature of  1868.  The  Regents'  estimate  of  neces- 
sary appropriations  was  $13, 800.  This  included 
the  item  of  $3,000  for  a  Chancellor  and  President 
of  the  Faculty,  which  had  been  appropriated  by 
the  two  preceding  Legislatures  but  had  remained 
undrawn  in  the  State  treasury.  This  item  was 
now  refused  and  the  sum  asked  for  was  otherwise 
reduced  to  $7,500.  The  Regents  felt  that  they 
must  keep  their  contracts  with  the  instructors, 
so  no  reduction  of  salaries  was  made,  but  at  the 
close  of  the  year  1868  an  indebtedness  of  nearly 


History  of  the  University.  91 

82,000  had  been  contracted.*  Yet,  strange  to 
say,  again  an  undrawn  balance  of  $533. 3i  was 
left  in  the  State  treasury,  f 

The  attendance  of  the  year  1868-9  was  122, 
of  which  number  six  young  ladies  were  in  colle- 
giate classes.^: 

The  year  1869—70  is  memorable  in  the  history 
of  the  institution  both  because  of  important  in- 
ternal changes  affecting  instruction  and  because 
of  the  origin  of  a  movement  to  provide  a  new 
and  more  ample  domicile  for  the  school. 

Prof.  Snow  had  already  shown  a  predilection 
for  scientific  studies  and  work,  and,  when  an 
opportunity  came  to  increase  the  faculty,  he 
asked  to  be  relieved  of  mathematics  and  to  be 
allowed  to  devote  himself  to  work  in  natural 
science.  |  A  division  of  his  work  was  made  in 
accordance  with  his  desires,  and  F.  W.  Bardwell 
was  elected  Professor  of  Mathematics  and  As- 
tronomy. Upon  the  resignation  of  Mrs.  C.  A. 
Smith  and  John  Folkman,  Ellen  P.  Leonard  was 
made  Professor  of  Modern  Languages,  Drawing 
and  Painting. 

The  North  College  building,  which  was  at  first 

*  Regents'  report,  1869. 

t  See  report  of  Commissioners  on  Public  Institutions  for  1874,  p  32. 

t  Catalogue  of  1808-9. 

1  Regents'  record,  pp.  62  and  65. 


92  History  of  the  University. 

regarded  as  very  commodious,  and  sufficient  for 
years,  was  full  to  overflowing.  The  attendance 
was  now  152,  with  seventeen  in  the  collegiate 
classes.  In  his  annual  report  to  the  Regents, 
December  1st,  1869,  Chancellor  Fraser  brought 
forward  the  question  of  new  buildings,  and  it 
was  voted  by  the  Regents  that  the  executive  com- 
mittee should  confer  with  the  authorities  of  the 
city  of  Lawrence  to  procure  the  issuance  of  bonds 
to  erect  additional  buildings.* 

A  ready  response  was  given  to  their  appeal 
and  an  election  ordered.  A  vigorous  canvass  was 
made,  in  which  resident  Regents  and  Chancellor 
Fraser  took  an  active  part.  On  the  3d  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1870,  the  citizens  of  Lawrence  with  great 
unanimity  voted  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $100, 000 
to  erect  a  new  University  building,  f 

Chas.  Robinson,  Chancellor  Fraser  and  G. 
Grovenor,  mayor  of  Lawrence,  were  chosen  a 
building  committee. :};  Plans  and  specifications 
of  buildings  were  immediately  asked  for,  and  at 
a  special  Regents'  meeting,  held  June  14,  plans 
offered  by  J.  G.  Haskell,  architect,  were  unani- 
mously adopted. 

*  Regents'  record   pp.  62  and  65. 

\La-wrencc  Repabl  can,  and  Regents'  report  for  1870.  After  the  city 
had  paid  interest  on  these  bonds  to  the  amount  of  about  $90.000,  the 
State  assumed  the  debt.  Tbe  legislation  on  the  matter  of  these  bonds 
foims  an  interesting  chapter. 

J  Regents'  record,  p.  71. 


History  of  the  University.  93 

According  to  the  plans  adopted,  the  building 
was  made  246  feet  in  length,  ninety-eight  feet 
in  width  of  widest  part,  and  ninety-five  feet  in 
height,  containing  fifty-four  rooms,  all  to  be  de- 
voted to  the  work  of  instruction.  "For  every 
branch  of  instruction  that  requires  special  fix- 
tures and  apparatus,  a  suitable  room  or  suite  of 
rooms  is  provided,  so  that  everything  belonging 
to  that  branch  may  be  kept  in  its  place,  free 
from  the  vexations  and  hurtful  disturbances 
which  are  unavoidable  when  one  room  is  used 
for  various  branches."*  Work  was  begun  al- 
most immediately,  and  in  about  one  year  the 
building  was  enclosed.  It  was  the  intention 
of  the  Regents  from  the  outset  to  use  the  pro- 
ceeds of  the  sale  of  the  city  bonds  in  enclosing 
a  building,  and  to  ask  the  Legislature  for  a  suffi- 
cient amount  to  carry  the  work  to  completion,  f 
Ninety  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  were  real- 
ized from  the  bonds,  and  the  State  was  requested 
in  1871  to  appropriate  $50,000.  This  legislative 
appropriation  was  made  in  1872,  and  with  it  the 
work  was  continued  until,  December  2,  1872, 
the  building  was  occupied  by  University  classes. 
And  this  did  not  come  a  day  too  soon,  for  the 


*  Re-gents'  record,  p.  OS. 
•t  Kri_'eiitw'  record,  jj  70. 


94  History  of  the  University. 

North  College  building  was  no  longer  sufficient 
to  accommodate  the  numerous  classes.  For 
some  time  the  basement  of  the  Unitarian  Church 
had  been  rented,  and  occupied  by  classes  which 
could  not  find  room  in  North  College,  and  in 
inclement  weather  much  discomfort  and  incon- 
venience was  experienced  in  going  to  and  from 
classes. 

In  pushing  the  work  of  building,  a  debt  of 
nearly  $8,000  had  been  incurred.*  However 
the  new  building  still  lacked  a  good  deal  of 
completion.  With  two  hundred  and  twenty -six 
windows  which  had  no  interior  casings,  and 
twenty-two  windows  which  were  covered  with 
slats,  it  is  easy  to  believe  the  statement  of  Chan- 
cellor Fraser,  that  "the  cold  air  of  winter  finds 
free  ingress  into  the  building."  Most  of  the 
rooms  were  insufficiently  equipped  with  furniture 
and  apparatus,  yet  the  authorities  found  reasons 
for  congratulating  themselves  on  the  improve- 
ment of  the  surroundings. 

In  the  meantime  the  increase  in  the  numbers 
and  efficiency  of  the  faculty,  in  the  number  of 
students  and  in  the  amount  of  appropriations 
for  current  expenses,  was  very  gratifying.  In 
1870  the  faculty  was  increased  by  the  election 

*Eegeuts'  report,  1873,  pp.  11  and  13. 


History  of  the  University.  95 

of  D.  O.  Kellogg  as  Professor  of  History  and 
English  and  J.  E.  Bartlett  as  instructor  in  music; 
the  attendance  was  227,  of  whom  nineteen  were 
in  the  collegiate  work;  the  amount  of  State  aid 
was  nearly  $15,000.  In  1871  the  faculty  was 
further  increased  by  the  addition  of  Fred.  E. 
Stimpson  as  Professor  of  Chemistry  and  Phys- 
ics, and  of  A.  J.  S.  Molinard  as  Professor  of 
Engineering  and  Drawing;  the  attendance  was 
265,  twenty-nine  in  collegiate  work,  and  the  ap- 
propriations were  nearly  $18,000,  of  which  sum 
$750  remained  in  the  State  treasury  undrawn.* 

In  1872  S.  W.  Y.  Schimonsky  had  taken  the 
place  of  Prof.  Molinard,  and  Byron  C.  Smith 
was  elected  Professor  of  Greek  Language  and 
Literature;  the  attendance  was  272,  with  seventy- 
three  in  the  collegiate  classes,  and  the  appropria- 
tions, exclusive  of  the  $50,000  for  building 
already  mentioned,  were  $18,290. 

The  years  1873  and  1874  were  years  of  un- 
usual trials  and  discouraging  circumstances. 
The  Regents  estimated  the  amount  necessary  to 
finish  the  new  building  at  $35,000,  and  respect- 
fully asked  the  Legislature  for  that  sum.  Not 
only  did  they  entirely  fail  to  get  this  appropria- 

*  Auditor's  report,  an  quoted  in  report  on  public  institutions,  1874, 
P  32, 


96  History  of  the  University. 

tion,  but  even  of  the  §36,000  asked  to  pay 
running  expenses  and  make  good  a  deficit  of 
over  $7,000  incurred  in  building  they  received 
only  824,660  in  1873.  The  impoverished  con- 
dition of  the  State,  and  the  uncertainty  of  getting 
an  appropriation  to  cover  deficits,  made  it  neces- 
sary for  the  Regents  to  reorganize  the  faculty 
on  a  lower  scale  of  expenditure  than  before.  In 
the  reorganization,  which  took  place  in  1874,  the 
number  of  instructors  was  only  reduced  from 
eleven  to  ten,  but  the  number  of  regular  pro- 
fessors was  reduced  from  nine  to  six,  and  three 
assistants  were  employed  at  a  lower  rate  of  com- 
pensation. Professors  Stimpson,  Kellogg,  Leon- 
ard, Schirnonsky  and  Bartlett  resigned  their 
places,  and  Geo.E.  Patrick,  Wm.T.  Gage,  Frances 
Schlegel  and  E.  Miller  were  chosen  to  take  charge 
of  chemistry  and  physics,  history  and  English, 
modern  languages  and  drawing,  and  mathemat- 
ics, respectively.  Professor  Bardwell  took  charge 
of  the  work  in  civil  engineering  left  by  Professor 
Schimonsky,  and,  in  the  retrenchment  which  was 
carried  into  the  following  year,  he  even  became 
superintendent  of  grounds  and  buildings.  Tliis 
sweeping  change  was  to  some  extent  the  result 
of  internal  strife  among  members  of  the  faculty, 
occasioned  chiefly  by  a  feeling  of  dissatisfaction 


History  of  the  University.  97 

with  the  administration  of  Chancellor  Fraser. 
His  work  of  six  years  as  head  of  the  University 
had  shown  that  he  possessed  executive  ability 
in  no  mean  degree,  but  lie  lacked  the  power  of 
controlling  men  and  harmonizing  discordant 
interests,  lie  accordingly  resigned  the  chan- 
cellorship on  the  15th  of  April,  1874,  and  his 
resignation  was  accepted  on  condition  that  he 
remain  in  charge  until  the  appointment  of  his 
successor. 

On  the  15th  of  July,  1874,  S.  H.  Carpenter, 
professor  of  logic  in  the  University  of  Wisconsin, 
was  elected  Chancellor.  It  is  reported  that  he 
came  to  the  city,  but  withdrew  without  visiting 
any  one  officially  connected  with  the  University, 
and  sent  word  to  the  llegents  that  he  could  not 
accept  the  position.* 

On  the  19th  of  November,  1874,  James  Mar- 
vin, of  Meadville,  Pa.,  was  elected  Chancellor. 
lie  accepted  the  position  and  assumed  control 
early  in  the  winter.  Under  his  administration 
the  institution  made  very  considerable  progress, 
notwithstanding  adverse  conditions.  During 
his  first  year  the  salaries  of  regular  professors 
and  the  Chancellor  himself  were  considerably 

*  Recent*'  record,  p.  183.  Sec;  report  of  coimninsioniTH  on  public 
institution*  for  1h74,  p  31,  for  different  statement  of  tbe  case. 

—7 


98  History  of  the  University. 

reduced  because  of  insufficient  appropriations 
by  the  Legislature  to  maintain  them. 

The  institution  was  managed  on  a  purely  eco- 
nomical basis,  and,  with  the  return  of  prosperous 
financial  conditions  in  the  State,  the  University 
won  the  confidence  of  all  classes.  The  $35,- 
000  asked  for  to  complete  the  new  building 
was  not  received  in  a  lump  sum,  but  by  the 
strictest  economy  and  careful  use  of  small  ap- 
propriations made  from  time  to  time  for  the 
purpose  the  building  was  completed. 

In  October,  1878,  the  Law  School  was  opened, 
with  a  class  of  thirteen  students,  under  the 
charge  of  J.  W.  Green.* 

During  this  period  the  seventy-two  sections 
of  land  granted  by  Congress  as  an  endowment 
were  sold  and  a  sum  of  considerably  over  $100,- 
000  was  realized. 

The  faculty  was  increased  from  ten  to  nine- 
teen and  the  attendance  of  students  advanced 
from  272  at  the  close  of  the  former  administra- 
tion to  582  at  the  close  of  Dr.  Marvin's  adminis- 
tration. 

The  chemistry  building  was  erected,  at  a  cost 

*In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  records  are  much  fuller,  and  informa- 
tion much  more  accessible,  as  well  as  in  consideration  of  the  class  of 
readers  for  whom  this  account  is  intended,  this  sketch  is  made  much 
briefer  from  the  accession  of  Dr  Marvin. 


History  of  the  University.  99 

of  $12,000.  The  University  grounds  were 
changed  from  a  rough  and  treeless  common  to 
a  well-graded  enclosure  covered  with  young 
ornamental  and  shade  trees.  On  the  scholas- 
tic side  a  proportionate  progress  was  attained. 
Plans  looking  to  the  early  discontinuance  of  the 
preparatory  department  were  inaugurated,  by 
the  recognition  of  the  best  high  schools  of  the 
State  as  schools  preparatory  to  the  University. 
By  legislative  requirement  of  1876,  a  normal 
department  was  opened  and  maintained  for  sev- 
eral years  with  success.  When  Chancellor  Fra- 
ser  retired,  in  1874,  seven  collegiate  students  had 
graduated,  and  at  the  close  of  Chancellor  Mar- 
vin's administration  the  aggregate  of  collegiate, 
normal  and  law  graduates  was  139.  Chancellor 
Marvin  resigned  his  office  in  1883,  and  the  effort 
was  immediately  made  to  secure  a  well-known 
educator  from  the  East  to  succeed  him.  At  the 
solicitation  of  the  Regents,  Prof.  C.  K.  Adams, 
of  Michigan  University,  visited  Lawrence,  but 
declined  further  consideration  of  the  question 
of  accepting  the  chancellorship.  Later  in  the 
summer  Joshua  Allan  Lippincott,  professor  of 
mathematics  in  Dickinson  College,  Carlisle,  Pa., 
accepted  the  office,  and  entered  upon  his  duties 
in  September  of  the  same  year. 


100  History  of  the  University. 

Under  the  new  administration  larger  appro- 
priations were  demanded  and  received  from  the 
State,  and  several  new  enterprises  were  conse- 
quently carried  out  successfully.  The  most  im- 
portant of  these  was  the  building  of  Snow  Hall, 
at  a  cost  of  over  $50,000,  which  sum  was  ap- 
propriated for  the  purpose  by  the  Legislature  of 
1885.  This  building  is  110  feet  in  length,  100 
feet  wide,  three  stories  high,  exclusive  of  an  at- 
tic twelve  feet  high,  and  is  wholly  devoted  to 
the  Department  of  Natural  History.  A  new  en- 
gine house  was  also  built  by  means  of  an  appro- 
priation of  $16,000.  By  legislative  enactment 
in  1885,  the  Regents  were  directed  to  open  a 
School  of  Pharmacy.  This  was  done  in  the  au- 
tumn of  the  same  year,  and  Lucius  E.  Sayre,  of 
Philadelphia,  was  placed  in  charge.  The  de- 
partments of  Music  and  Art  were  more  com- 
pletely organized,  and  material  advancement  was 
made  in  all  lines  of  collegiate  and  departmental 
work. 

The  number  of  recognized  preparatory  high 
schools  was  greatly  increased  and  their  relations 
to  the  University  were  more  fully  and  satisfac- 
torily determined.  The  Normal  Department  and 
one  year  of  the  preparatory  work  were  discon- 
tinued. This  occasioned  some  diminution  of  the 


History  of  the  University.  101 

aggregate  attendance,  but  this  loss  was  more 
than  compensated  by  the  relief  of  the  force  of 
instruction  from  the  necessity  of  doing  a  low 
grade  of  teaching,  and  the  Consequent  elevation 
of  the  standard  of  scholarship. 

The  annual  appropriations  for  current  ex- 
penses during  this  period  increased  from  some- 
thing over  $30,000  to  $75,000.*  The  faculty 
at  the  close  of  the  administration  numbered  over 
thirty,  against  nineteen  at  the  beginning,  and 
the  number  of  graduates  in  all  departments  now 
amounted  to  461. 

Chancellor  Lippincott  resigned  in  1889,  and 
an  interim  of  one  year  followed,  in  which  Re- 
gent W.  C.  Spangler  was  Acting  Chancellor  and 
Professor  Snow  was  President  of  the  Faculty. 

In  the  spring  of  1890,  Clias.  F.  Thwing,  of 
Minneapolis,  Minn.,  visited  the  University  at  the 
solicitation  of  the  Regents,  and  was  elected 
to  the  chancellorship.  After  considering  the 
matter  for  some  time,  he  declined  to  accept  the 
office.  A  short  time  afterwards  Professor  Snow 
accepted  the  headship  of  the  institution,  to  whose 
interests  his  life  has  been  devoted,  and  a  new 
administration  and  a  new  era  were  opened  for 
the  University. 

"The  Moody  Mil,  passed  by  the  Legislature  of  18S!),  provides  for  the 
levy  of  a  State  tax  for  the  University  sufficient  to  raise  the  sum  of  $75,- 
OOU  annually. 


JOHN  FRASER, 


HISTORY  OF  THE  LIBRARY. 


CAKKIE   M.  WATSON. 


A  UNIVERSITY  and  its  library  are  closely  allied. 
The  present  methods  of  conducting  university 
work  make  the  library  a  very  essential  part  of  a 
university.  These  methods  which  have  obtained 
acceptance  throughout  the  land  may  perhaps  be 
best  designated  as  German  methods,  since  the 
impetus  came  from  the  German  universities. 
The  professor  recommends  his  students  to  rely 
upon  the  library;  to  ascertain  the  original  sources 
of  materials  used;  to  search  for  all  authorities 
and  opinions  upon  matters  under  discussion,  and 
to  verify  statements  made  in  the  class  room. 
The  library  thus  gives  vitality  to  the  university. 
It  has  therefore  become  a  truism  that  the  growth 
of  an  institution  is  measured  largely  by  its  li- 
brary. A  very  natural  question  to  ask  when 
judging  of  the  strength  of  a  university  is,  "How 
strong  is  its  library  ? ' ' 

(108) 


104:  History  of  the  Library. 

The  University  of  Kansas  has  now  been  es- 
tablished twenty-five  years.  Let  us,  then,  take  a 
glance  backwards  and  see  whence  the  library 
came,  that  we  may  know  the  history  of  its  strug- 
gles, trials  and  successes. 

It  is  with  gratification  that  we  find  that  the 
library  was  a  part  of  the  original  plan  of  the 
University  of  Kansas.  On  March  21,  1865,  the 
first  Board  of  Regents  elected  one  of  its  mem- 
bers, J.  S.  Emery,  librarian.  He  was  reelected 
on  December  6,1865,  and  again  on  July  18,1866. 
These  elections,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  occurred  be- 
fore the  opening  of  the  University,  as  the  first 
faculty  and  students  did  not  meet  for  work  until 
September  12,  1866.  J.  S.  Emery  was  librarian 
until  1868.  Another  Regent,  W.  0.  Tenney,  re- 
ceived the  appointment  from  1868  to  1869.  The 
charge  of  the  library  then  passed  from  the  Re- 
gents to  the  Faculty.  Frank  H.  Snow,  Professor 
of  Natural  History,  was  elected  librarian  De- 
cember 1, 1869,  and  reelected  December  7, 1870. 
He  resigned  September  3, 1 873.  Byron  C.  Smith, 
Professor  of  Greek,  was  made  librarian  for  the 
next  year.  January  1,  1875,  E.  Miller,  Profes- 
sor of  Mathematics,  accepted  the  position,  and 
discharged  the  duties  for  twelve  years.  He  re- 
signed April  1,  1887.  Inasmuch  as  the  libra- 


History  of  the  Library.  105 

rians  up  to  this  date  were  professsors  in  the 
University,  the  amount  of  time  they  could  devote 
to  library  work  was  of  necessity  limited,  but, 
with  the  resignation  of  Prof.  Miller,  a  new  state 
of  affairs  was  inaugurated.  Carrie  M.  Watson 
was  then  elected  to  devote  her  whole  time  and 
attention  to  the  work.  It  seems  the  natural 
order  of  things,  when  writing  the  history  of  this 
library,  to  give  the  history  of  the  librarians  first, 
because  the  library  had  librarians  before  it  had 
books. 

The  library  may  be  said  to  have  started  from 
nothing  but  a  hope  —  a  hope  that  an  appropria- 
tion for  books  would  be  made,  or  that  some 
fund  might  be  set  aside  for  library  purposes,  or 
that  some  generous  friend  would  endow  or  be- 
queath a  library;  but  the  early  historical  facts 
show  us  that  it  was  for  some  time  a  forlorn  hope. 
A  definite  idea  of  the  condition  of  the  library 
at  the  opening  of  the  University  may  be  found 
by  an  extract  from  a  letter.  The  day  after  the 
formal  opening  of  the  University,  Prof.  Snow, 
in  describing  the  building,  wrote  to  a  friend  in 
the  East  as  follows: 

"The  southwest  and  southeast  rooms  on  the  second  floor 
arc  intended  for  a  library  and  museum.  They  are  now 
empty,  save  a  few  Congressional  books  in  the  library  room 


106  History  of  the  Library. 

and  three  or  four  geological  specimens  of  my  own  in  the 
cabinet  room." 

The  United  States  Government  was  the  first 
liberal  donor.  We  find  in  the  minutes  of  the 
Regents,  December  5,  1866,  the  adoption  of  the 
following  resolution: 

"That  our  Senators  and  Representatives  in  Congress  be 
requested  to  furnish  for  the  library  of  the  State  University, 
from  the  departments  at  Washington  and  other  sources,  as 
many  books  as  possible,  and  that  the  Secretary  be  requested 
to  furnish  them  a  copy  of  this  resolution." 

The  duties  of  the  librarians,  until  1873,  were 
little  more  than  to  represent  the  department  and 
to  be  custodians  of  public  documents  and  private 
gifts.  The  growth  of  the  library,  for  the  first 
seven  years  of  its  nominal  existence,  was  so  slow 
as  to  be  almost  imperceptible.  This  fact  is  clearly 
demonstrated  by  the  following  quotation,  which 
appeared  regularly  in  the  annual  university  cata- 
logues for  six  years,  from  1867  to  1873:  "The 
nucleus  of  a  library  has  been  secured,  to  which 
additions  will  be  made.  At  present  the  students 
are  permitted  to  avail  themselves  of  the  private 
libraries  of  the  Faculty."  It  is  somewhat  diffi- 
cult to  understand  why  this  condition  existed  so 
long,  but  it  was  probably  due  to  a  combination 
of  circumstances  —  chiefly  to  the  fact  that  the  in- 
stitution did  not  start  with  a  heavy  endowment, 


History  of  the  Library.  107 

but  with  small  annual  appropriations  from  the 
State  Legislature  of  a  comparatively  new  West- 
ern State.  At  first  the  funds  were  necessarily 
used  to  provide  buildings  and  instruction.  Thus, 
year  by  year,  these  demands  exhausted  the 
money  to  be  expended,  and  as  a  result  there 
could  be  no  books  purchased.  There  is  one 
strange  bit  of  history  connected  with  the  early 
struggles  of  the  library  that  puzzles  one,  when 
reading  the  annals  of  the  University.  The  li- 
brary was  mentioned  in  the  first  appropriation 
along  with  scientific  and  philosophic  apparatus, 
for  all  of  which  $3, 000  was  appropriated  by  the 
Legislature  of  1866,  but  over  $1,300  of  the 
$3,000  reverted  to  the  State  treasury.  Why 
$1,300  was  not  used  to  establish  the  library  is 
the  mystery. 

August  7,  1867,  Chancellor  Oliver  recom- 
mended, in  his  annual  report: 

"The  collection  of  a  library  demands  some  attention. 
The  large  and  well-assorted  library  of  President  Tappan  is 
left  with  the  trustees  at  Ann  Arbor  to  be  disposed  of.  It 
affords  a  rare  opportunity  for  purchasing  at  a  low  rate  one 
of  the  best  assorted  libraries  in  the  land.  The  catalogue  of 
his  library  is  herewith  submitted." 

Nothing  was  ever  done  with  this  recommenda- 
tion. We  learn  from  the  minutes  of  the  Board 
of  Regents  for  August  23,  1871,  that  the  com- 


108  History  of  the  Library. 

mittee  reported  the  purchase  from  John  Speer, 
of  Lawrence,  of  thirteen  volumes  of  the  United 
States  Pacific  Survey.  These  volumes  cost  $50. 
This  was  the  first  addition  to  the  library  by  pur- 
chase. In  1873,  the  expenditures  were  $220.30 
for  books  of  reference. 

Such  deliberation  did  not  produce  a  library. 
The  inconvenience  to  the  members  of  the  fac- 
ulty from  the  lack  of  library  facilities  is  vividly 
represented  in  Chancellor  Eraser's  report  of  the 
Department  of  Mental  and  Moral  Philosophy, 
dated  1873.  He  says: 

i/ 

"The  books  needed  by  the  students  are  at  present  fur- 
nished out  of  my  private  library.  Other  professors  in  the 
institution  likewise  give  to  their  students  the  use  of  books 
which  are  not  to  be  found  in  the  very  limited  and  defective 
library  belonging  to  the  University.  Without  an  adequate 
supply  of  good  books,  bearing  on  the  subjects  of  text  books, 
the  student  cannot  be  trained  to  habits  and  methods  of  crit- 
ical literary  and  philosophical  research.  Narrowness,  su- 
perficiality and  dogmatism  are  almost  sure  to  be  results  of 
the  method  of  instruction  that  limits  the  student's  knowl- 
edge of  a  subject  to  the  contents  of  a  single  book.  In  com- 
mon with  the  other  members  of  the  Faculty,  1  feel  that  my 
instructions  are  narrowed  in  their  range  and  impaired  in 
their  usefulness  from  lack  of  books  by  the  best  authors  on 
the  subjects  taught  in  my  department.  A  library  is  as  es- 
sential to  thorough  instruction  in  literature  and  philosophy 
as  apparatus  is  to  the  laboratory  work  in  chemistry  and 
physics." 

Chancellor  Snow,  in  his  inaugural   address, 


History  of  the  Library.  109 

characterized  this  period,  the  first  six  years  in 
the  history  of  the  University,  as  the  "high  school 
period,  with  some  premonitions  of  an  approach- 
ing collegiate  character."  But  this  high  school 
was  not  as  well  supplied  with  a  library  as  are  at 
present  many  of  the  high  schools  throughout 
Kansas.  It  was  a  discouraging  state  of  affairs, 
but  perseverance  and  untiring  efforts  were  finally 
successful.  Those  who  were  interested  in  the 
welfare  of  the  University  saw  their  hopes  and 
plans  begin  to  take  material  shape.  In  1873, 
the  Faculty  and  Regents  asked  for  S3, 000  for 
books.  The  Legislature,  while  not  granting  the 
request,  made  what  was  for  the  time  a  large  ap- 
propriation. One  thousand  and  five  hundred 
dollars  was  to  be  devoted  exclusively  to  the  pur- 
chase of  books.  This  is  an  important  epoch  in 
the  history  of  the  library,  for  it  was  the  first  de- 
cided effort  made  towards  the  accumulation  of 
books  otherwise  than  by  gift. 

Prof.  Byron  C.  Smith  reported  as  librarian 
in  1874  that  there  were  less  than  one  thousand 
volumes.  But  from  that  time  the  growth  of  the 
library  was  more  apparent.  Sums  of  money, 
though  small,  were  regularly  expended,  so  that 
the  long-derided  nucleus  was  enabled  to  develop. 
From  1875  to  1889,  with  the  exception  of  four 


110 


History  of  the  Library. 


years,  $1,000  was  annually  spent  for  new  books; 
for  these  four  years  but  1500  was  granted.  In 
1876,  it  was  entirely  withheld.  For  the  year 
1889-90,  $5,000  was  appropriated  for  additions 
to  the  library;  for  1890-91,  $2,500;  $3,500  has 
been  set  aside  for  books  for  1891-92.  The  fol- 
lowing table  shows  the  money  appropriated  and 
the  number  of  volumes  in  the  library  from  year 
to  year: 


YEAK. 

PURPOSE. 

APPBO- 
PBIATIOH. 

NO.  VOL- 
UMES. 

1871... 

13  volumes  of  U  S.  Pacific  Survey  

$50  00 

1874 

220  30 

1874... 

Hooks  of  reference  

79  70 

1874 

1,500  00 

less  than 

1875 

21  90 

1,000 

1875... 

Additions  to  library  

1,030  69 

1,7CO 

187(5  

3,519 

1877  

Additions  to  library  

500  00 

2,519 

1H7S 

Additions  to  library    

500  00 

2,750 

187SI  .. 

Additions  to  library  

1,000  00 

3,100 

1S80 

Additions  to  library    

1,000  00 

3844 

1H81... 

Additions  to  library  

1,000  00 

4,500 

1882 

Additions  to  library    

1,000  00 

5.481 

1883  ..  . 

Additions  to  library  

500  00 

6,300 

1884 

Additions  to  library  

500  00 

(5.500 

1885  .. 

Additions  to  library  

1,000  00 

7,000 

188(5 

Additions  to  library     

1,000  00 

7,700 

1887  .. 

Additions  to  library  

1,000  00 

8.035 

1888  

Additions  to  library  

1,000  00 

9,207 

1889  .. 

Additions  to  library  

5,000  00 

1  1.05(i 

1800 

Additions  to  library     

2,500  oo 

12,528 

1891... 

Additions  to  library  

14,82(5 

To  be  sure  these  figures  do  not  always  tell 
the  story  one  expects;  as,  for  instance,  in  1889, 
when  the  amount  expended  was  five  times  the 


History  of  the  Library.  Ill 

amount  of  any  other  year,  it  did  not  secure  five 
times  the  number  of  books.  The  reason  for 
this  will  be  evident,  when  it  is  known  that  many 
of  the  complete  sets  of  magazines,  treatises  and 
works  of  reference  which  were  procured  were 
out  of  print  and  expensive.  It  was  deemed  ad- 
visable to  purchase  these  books  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, as  each  year  they  are  becoming  rarer  and 
more  difficult  to  obtain.  Then,  too,  the  increase 
in  the  number  of  volumes  does  not  always  show 
in  the  corresponding  year  of  the  appropriation. 
The  volumes  are  not  counted  until  placed  on  the 
shelves,  and  there  are  often  delays  in  ordering 
and  receiving  books,  especially  those  out  of 
print  and  those  that  have  to  be  imported. 

We  have  just  traced  the  origin  of  the  library 
and  the  efforts  made  to  procure  books  for  it. 
Now  let  us  follow  it  in  its  different  locations, 
and  notice  the  use  made  of  it. 

As  has  before  been  stated,  the  library  had  its 
location  at  the  outset  in  the  first  building,  on  the 
second  floor  in  the  southwest  room.  It  was  a 
small  room  and  made  but  a  slight  impression  on 
the  students.  One  of  the  alumni,  who  was  then 
a  student  in  the  advanced  classes,  remembers 
using  some  of  the  few  books  in  the  library,  but 
more  especially  books  placed  there  by  Chancel- 


112  History  of  the  Library. 

lor  Eraser  for  the  use  of  students.  The  ad- 
vanced students  and  faculty  knew  of  this  small 
collection  of  books,  but  the  nucleus  of  a  library 
was  a  myth  to  the  majority  of  the  students. 

When  the  removal  of  the  entire  University 
from  the  old  building  to  the  new  one  took  place, 
in  1872,  the  mythical  nucleus  was  arranged  on 
shelves  in  room  No.  4,  which  is  now  the  uni- 
versity reception  room.  The  use  of  this  room 
was  given  to  the  senior  classes.  Further  than 
adding  to  their  pride,  the  members  of  the  class 
gained  little  else  from  the  advantage.  The  li- 
brary experience  of  the  students  of  this  time  was 
mostly  confined  to  the  city  library  and  the  libra- 
ries of  the  professors. 

It  was  not  until  September,  1877,  that  the  books 
were  transferred  to  a  room  which  had  been  fitted 
up  with  alcoves  for  the  books  and  tables  for  the 
readers.  The  library  was  now  for  the  first  time 
thrown  open  to  all  the  students.  Here  the  li- 
brary started  out  in  a  library  fashion,  although 
upon  a  ludicrously  small  scale.  It  was  in  the  west 
room  of  the  south  wing,  on  the  first  floor,  No.  14 
— the  room  now  used  by  the  English  Department. 
There  were  then  2,519  volumes.  The  room 
was  open  from  9  A.  M.  to  1  p.  M.  The  librarian 
was  occupied  with  his  classes,  so  the  first  year 


History  of  the  Library.  118 

the  room  was  under  the  care  of  four  monitors, 
one  student  for  each  hour.  But  the  next  year 
it  was  found  desirable  to  have  one  person  to  take 
charge  of  the  room,  to  keep  order,  and  to  issue 
books.  Carrie  M.  Watson  was  selected  to  assist 
Prof.  Miller  in  this  matter.  Students  could  use 
this  room  as  a  reading  room.  They  had  access 
to  the  shelves,  and  they  were  permitted  to  draw 
one  volume  at  a  time  for  home  use.  The  book 
could  not  be  kept  longer  than  three  weeks  with- 
out renewal.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the 
present  practice. 

The  library  remained  in  this  one  room  until 
there  were  8, 035  volumes.  It  became  so  crowded 
that  it  was  necessary  to  move  to  the  north  end 
of  the  main  building,  where  more  rooms  and 
better  facilities  could  be  obtained.  One  room, 
at  the  extreme  north  end  of  the  main  building, 
on  the  first  floor,  was  filled  with  alcoves  to  hold 
the  library  proper.  Part  of  the  corridor  was 
cloned  off  and  shelved  for  the  better  arrange- 
ment of  the  public  documents.  A  third  room, 
No.  9,  which  seemed  adapted  for  the  purpose  in 
its  direct  light  from  the  east  and  its  cheerfulness, 
was  set  aside  for  the  general  reading  room.  It 
was  connected  with  the  book  room,  but  the  de- 
—8 


114  History  of  the  Library. 

livery  desk  was  placed  at  the  doorway  between 
the  rooms.  Only  members  of  the  senior  and  jun- 
ior classes  were  allowed  to  enter  the  room  where 
the  books  were  kept.  Library  permits  were  is- 
sued to  them.  The  other  students  were  handed 
the  books  upon  request.  In  the  fall  of  1889  a 
great  need  was  felt  for  another  book  room,  so  a 
compromise  was  made  with  the  Law  Department 
by  which  room  No.  8  was  procured.  Alcoves 
to  hold  the  general  library  books  were  placed  in 
this  room  on  these  conditions:  That  part  of  the 
alcoves  should  be  reserved  for  the  law  books, 
the  law  books  cared  for,  and  the  law  students 
granted  library  permits.  This  arrangement  lasted 
only  one  year,  for  in  1890  the  Law  Department 
was  moved  to  the  North  College.  The  law  library 
in  its  new  location  is  very  conveniently  situated 
for  work.  There  are  three  rooms,  not  very  large, 
but  well  arranged.  The  University  now  owns 
789  law  books,  to  which  J.  W.  Green,  Dean  of 
the  Law  Department,  has  added  his  own  law 
library,  1,000  volumes,  for  the  use  of  students. 
Some  one  from  the  general  library  examines  the 
books  with  the  shelf  list  two  or  three  times  a 
year.  W.  H.  Starkey,  a  law  student,  has  charge 
of  the  books. 


History  of  the  Library.  115 

At  present  the  general  library  occupies  all  of 
the  rooms  on  the  first  floor  of  the  north  wing  of 
the  main  building  and  one  room  in  the  base- 
ment. It  includes  the  reading  room,  with  the 
librarian's  office  adjoining  it,  and  the  two  book 
rooms,  besides  the  hall  way  between  these  rooms, 
which  makes  a  separate  room  for  the  public  docu- 
ments. The  basement  room  is  used  for  stor- 
age, for  unpacking  new  books  and  for  packing 
books  for  binding. 

All  students  have  good  library  facilities  for 
work  in  the  reading  room.  This  room  is  supplied 
with  140  American  and  foreign  periodicals,  and 
sixty  State  newspapers.  There  is  a  good  collec- 
tion of  cyclopedias,  books  of  reference  and  dic- 
tionaries. When  the  lower  classes  are  studying 
special  topics,  certain  volumes  may  be  placed 
upon  reserve  shelves  for  class  use.  These  vol- 
umes are  in  no  case  to  be  removed  from  the 
reading  room,  as  they  are  for  the  entire  class. 
These  students  find  what  they  want  from  the 
card  catalogue,  and  are  referred  to  books  by  the 
professors.  Indeed,  we  use  whatever  means  we 
can  to  create  a  taste  for  reading  among  those 
who  have  never  enjoyed  the  use  of  a  library  and 
to  extend  the  taste  for  reading  among  those  who 
already  have  the  habit,  so  that  when  they  reach 


116  History  of  the  Library. 

the  junior  and  senior  years  they  will  understand 
better  the  nature  of  their  privilege  of  free  access 
to  the  shelves.  Under  no  circumstances  should 
any  one  be  allowed  access  to  a  library  shelf  who 
has  not  learned  by  personal  experience  what 
books  are. 

In  the  two  book  rooms  the  books  are  placed 
in  alcoves  arranged  by  subjects.  Small  tables  are 
placed  in  the  vacant  spaces  in  these  rooms,  where 
the  advanced  students  can  work  conveniently. 

The  library  is  available  more  hours  than  here- 
tofore. It  was  open  from  9  A.  M.  to  1  p.  M.  ,  from 
1877  to  1885.  Two  hours  in  the  afternoon  were 
added  in  1885.  Then,  in  1887,  the  hours  were 
extended  from  8  A.  M.  until  chapel  time,  and  from 
9  A.  M.  to  6  P.  M.,  except  on  Saturdays,  when  it 
was  open  only  from  nine  until  twelve  o'clock. 
It  was  decided,  in  1888,  to  open  the  library  Fri- 
day evenings  from  half  past  seven  until  ten 
o'clock.  The  desire  on  the  part  of  a  number  of 
students  for  the  past  three  years  to  work  in  the 
library  during  vacations  which  occur  in  the 
school  year  has  made  it  seem  advisable  not  to 
close  the  library  at  such  times,  but  to  give  the 
opportunity  for  working  mornings,  except  on 
legal  holidays.  Even  during  the  Christmas  re- 
cess many  of  the  students  do  good  work  in  the 


History  of  the  Library.  117 

library.  This  habit  of  research,  which  is  devel- 
oping among  the  students,  cannot  fail  to  be  con- 
sidered a  good  sign. 

The  library  administration  has  developed  grad- 
ually in  the  same  manner  that  has  characterized 
the  growth  of  the  library. 

To  trace  the  details  of  the  growth  would  only 
interest  librarians  and  be  extremely  prosaic  to 
the  general  reader.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  the 
result  of  this  growth  has  produced  or  caused  to 
be  adopted  methods  which  are  practical  and  sys- 
tematic, the  strongest  emphasis  being  laid  upon 
accuracy  and  simplicity. 

So,  rather  than  show  the  development  of  the 
machinery  by  which  the  library  runs,  we  will  de- 
scribe the  methods  as  we  find  them  in  use  at 
present. 

The  annual  appropriations  for  new  books  are 
divided  among  the  professors  at  the  head  of 
the  several  departments.  In  this  way  the  books 
are  chosen  directly  in  the  lines  of  work  pursued. 

The  Board  of  Regents  has  made  the  following 
distribution  of  the  book  fund  available  for  the 
coming  year  (July  1st  is  the  beginning  of  our 
fiscal  year): 

Law $500  00 

American  history  and  civics 235  00 


118  History  of  the  Library. 

Philosophy $175  00 

German 175  00 

French 175  00 

Mathematics  and  astronomy 125  00 

Chemistry 125  00 

Pharmacy 125  00 

Music 50  00 

Physics  and  electrical  engineering 100  00 

English 400  00 

History  and  sociology 225  00 

Latin 175  00 

Greek 175  00 

Botany,  entomology  and  meteorology 125  00 

Civil  engineering 125  00 

Zoology,  anatomy  and  physiology 125  00 

Geology  and  paleontology 125  00 

Miscellaneous , 250  00 

The  professors  are  furnished  with  printed  or- 
der slips  upon  which  are  written  the  author's 
name,  title,  edition,  place,  publisher,  date,  number 
of  volumes,  size  and  price  of  the  book  wanted. 
We  use  the  form  of  the  Harvard  order  slip. 
After  these  blanks  are  filled  ont  they  are  handed 
to  the  librarian.  Care  is  then  given  to  the  pur- 
chase of  the  books.  When  in  due  time  the  new 
books  arrive  they  are  entered  in  the  accession 
book,  recorded  in  the  shelf  list,  classified  accord- 
ing to  Dewey's  "System  of  Decimal  Classifi- 
cation," and  catalogued  according  to  Cutter's 
"Rules  for  a  Dictionary  Catalogue."  They 
are  then  placed  upon  exhibition  shelves  in  the 


History  of  the  Library.  119 

reading  room  until  the  lower  classes  become  fa- 
miliar with  the  latest  additions. 

The  accession  book  was  begun  in  1885.  Pre- 
viously the  records  of  the  bpoks  were  kept  quite 
crudely.  The  accession  book  prepared  by  the 
Library  Bureau  is  the  most  approved  method  of 
keeping  library  records.  The  history  of  each 
book  is  accurately  kept.  Its  classification,  num- 
ber, author,  title,  publisher,  place,  date,  number 
of  pages,  size,  binding,  of  whom  purchased  or 
donated  and  price  are  recorded. 

A  shelf  list  for  each  department  has  been 
made.  These  shelf  lists  are  invaluable  in  many 
ways.  They  are  lists  of  the  books  made  in  the 
exact  order  in  which  the  books  stand  upon  the 
shelf  when  each  book  is  in  its  place.  They  are 
especially  useful  when  taking  an  inventory  of 
the  library. 

The  scheme  for  issuing  books  was  planned  by 
L.  I.  Blake,  Professor  of  Physics.  It  is  arranged 
so  as  to  answer  quite  readily  three  questions: 
Who  has  a  certain  book  ?  What  book  a  certain 
person  lias?  When  a  certain  book  is  due?  The 
students  have  the  privilege  of  taking  books  home, 
although  the  privilege  is  much  restricted.  A 
university  library  is  more  useful  as  a  reference 
library  than  as  a  circulating  one,  especially  in 


120  History  of  the  Library. 

certain  departments  and  at  different  times  of  the 
year  when  classes  are  studying  certain  subjects. 
Therefore  the  professor  has  the  right  to  reserve 
books  for  his  class  work.  When  students,  as  in 
our  library,  do  a  large  part  of  their  work  where 
the  books  are,  it  is  to  their  advantage  to  find  a 
book  in  the  building  rather  than  have  to  seek  it 
at  some  student's  home.  Experience  has  taught 
us  that,  otherwise,  when  the  professor  refers  the 
class  to  a  chapter  in  a  certain  volume,  one  stu- 
dent will  take  the  book  home  and  the  rest  of  the 
class  will  have  to  do  without  it,  while,  if  reserved, 
the  whole  class  will  have  an  opportunity  to  read 
it  some  time  during  the  day. 

The  first  list  of  books  was  made  in  1874,  in 
manuscript  form,  by  Charles  S.  Gleed,  now  a  Re- 
gent of  the  University,  but  at  that  time  a  student. 
He  made  it  for  Prof.  Byron  C.  Smith,  who  was 
the  librarian.  It  is  indeed  an  interesting  relic. 
In  1880  the  first  printed  list  of  books  was  issued, 
by  Prof.  E.  Miller,  librarian.  It  was  called  a 
' '  Catalogue  of  Books  in  the  State  University  of 
Kansas,  January  1,  1880,"  and  there  were  ap- 
pended the  additions  from  January  1,  1880,  to 
January  1,  1882.  It  was  in  pamphlet  form,  and 
consisted  of  the  short  titles  of  5,303  volumes. 
A  Library  Bulletin  No.  1  was  published  July, 


History  of  the  Library.  121 

1890.  It  contained  the  accessions  to  the  Uni- 
versity library  from  July  1,  1889,  to  June  30, 
1890.  It  gave  the  full  titles  of  the  volumes,  and 
they  were  arranged  alphabetically  by  the  author, 
under  the  ten  main  subject  classes  of  the  Dewey 
system. 

The  assistant  librarians  have  always  been 
students  of  the  University.  Carrie  M.  Watson, 
from  1878  to  1887,  was  a  graduate;  W.  H.  John- 
son, 1884-85,  H.  F.  Graham,  1885-86,  W.  S. 
Allen,  1886-88,  E.  G.  Allen,  1888-91,  were  stu- 
dents carrying  their  regular  collegiate  work,  and 
Helen  B.  Sutliff,  1890-91,  was  a  post-graduate 
student. 

The  library  has  received  two  loan  libraries.  The 
first  one  was  placed  in  the  library  in  1878  by 
Prof.  F.  E.  Stimpson.  .It  contains  113  volumes. 
It  is  known  as  the  "Stimpson  Loan  Library." 
The  second  is  the  "Haskell  Loan  Library."  In 
1887,  Mrs.  D.  C.  Haskell  placed  142  volumes  in 
the  library  for  the  use  of  the  students. 

The  library  has  been  fortunate  in  having  many 
generous  friends.  While  we  have  not  as  yet  re- 
ceived the  gift  of  a  library  from  any  scientific 
or  literary  scholar,  we  have  received  a  few  choice 
volumes  from  a  large  number  of  persons.  The 
largest  private  gift  has  come  from  L)r.  L.  Chase, 


122  History  of  the  Library. 

of  Irving,  Kansas.      He  has  given  230  volumes 
of  valuable  miscellaneous  books.      The  present 
has  been  made  at  several  different  times;  in  fact, 
it  was  only  recently  that  we  had  the  pleasure  of 
opening  one  box  which  contained  forty  volumes. 
Among  them  was  a  set  of  Reclus1  Nouvelle  Ge- 
ographie  Universelle,  in  nine  handsome  octavo 
volumes,  and  Farrow's  Military  Encyclopaedia, 
in  three  volumes,  which  were  particularly  valua- 
ble to  us.      The  first  most  noteworthy  gift  the 
library  ever  received  was  from  Hon.  W.  A.  Phil- 
lips, of  Salina.      It  is  one  of  our  oldest  books 
in  two  ways.     It  is  among  the  first  books  of  the 
library,  and  its..date  of  publication,  1518,  makes 
it  the  oldest  book  we  have.      A  portion  of  the 
title  page  is  as  follows:     "C.  Plynii    Secvndi 
Natvrae  Historiarvm  Libri  XXXVII.      E  Casti- 
gationibvs  Hermolai  Barbari,  Quam  Emendatis- 
sime  Editi;"  and  the  colophon  reads,  "Excusum, 
Hagenoae,  typis  ac  formulis  Thomae  Anshelmi 
Badensis,  Ductu  &  auspicio,  Prouidiviri   Lvcae 
Alantseae  Viennensis  incolae.      Anno  a  Christi 
natali  M.  D.  XVIII.     Mense  Nouembri.     Cae- 
sare  Maxaemiliano  habenas  moderante.1'      It  is 
a  folio  bound  in  vellum.     It  is  exceedingly  inter- 
esting from  an  antiquarian  point  of  view.    Two 
graduate  students  each  gave  useful  books  to  the 


History  of  the  Library.  123 

library:  Miss  Ethel  B.  Allen,  thirty-eight  vol- 
umes of  periodical  literature,  and  Mr.  Ellis  B. 
Noyes,  nineteen  volumes  of  Humboldt's  works. 
Rev.  C.  G.  Howland  has  given  ninety  volumes 
of  periodicals.  He  has  completed  our  sets  of 
The  Nation  and  Tlie  Century,  and  now  gives  at 
the  end  of  each  year  his  two  volumes  of  each 
of  these  two  periodicals  for  us  to  bind,  as  our 
current  numbers  are  worn  out  by  use  in  the  read- 
ing room.  Mr.  Frank  R.  Cordley,  Boston,  Mass., 
presented  a  set  of  the  Harleian  Miscellany.  In 
1888  Hon.  P.  B.  Plumb,  Hon.  Geo.  R.  Peck  and 
Hon.  T.  Dwight  Thacher  gave  a  set  of  the  Early 
English  Text  Society  publications  as  far  as  pub- 
lished, lion.  Geo.  R.  Peck,  of  Topeka,  has 
since  given  us  the  "Works  of  Jonathan  Swift; 
with  notes,  and  a  life  of  the  author  by  Sir  Wal- 
ter Scott,"  limited  American  Edition  of  1883, 
in  nineteen  volumes,  and  the  "Works  of  Pope; 
with  introductions  and  notes  by  Elwin  and 
Courthope,"  London,  1871-86,  in  ten  volumes. 
Col.  Win.  H.  Rossington,  of  Topeka,  in  1889, 
gave  the  new  edition  of  Dryden,  revised  by 
George  Saintsbury,  and  published  at  Edinburgh. 
When  completed  it  will  consist  of  eighteen  vol- 
umes. And  a  few  days  ago  he  kindly  informed 
us  that  he  would  give  us  all  the  books,  which 


History  of  the  Library. 

we  did  not  already  possess,  in  the  standard  and 
classical  libraries  of  the  Bohn  Series.  Judge 
D.  M.  Valentine,  of  Topeka,  has  been  extremely 
generous  to  the  library  for  the  Law  Department. 
A  few  months  ago  he  gave  sixty  volumes  of 
valuable  law  periodicals.  Mrs.  C.  W.  Babcock 
has  just  donated  157  law  books,  which  is  a  fine 
acquisition  to  the  Law  Department.  Last  year 
Mr.  D.  J.  Bossier,  of  Philadelphia,  and  Mr.  C. 
L.  Becker,  of  Ottawa,  each  gave  a  collection  of 
pharmaceutical  journals,  which  will  be  valuable 
to  the  Pharmaceutical  Department.  Members 
of  the  faculty  have  been  very  liberal  to  the  li- 
brary. They  have  given  both  books  and  current 
periodicals. 

The  endeavor  of  the  University  of  Kansas  has 
been  to  secure  a  useful  collection  of  books  — 
books  which  serve  a  purpose  in  the  prosecution 
of  investigation  rather  than  those  books  which 
serve  merely  an  ornamental  and  an  aesthetic  pur- 
pose. We  readily  allow  the  value  of  such  books, 
but  they  have  little  place  in  academic  training, 
and  such  books  should  be  secured  last.  Knowl- 
edge in  these  days  has  become  so  divided  that 
a  university  library  is  judged  by  its  ability  to 
furnish  the  best,  most  comprehensive  and  in 
some  cases  the  rarest  works  upon  the  subjects 


History  of  the  Library.  125 

under  discussion  or  investigation  —  rare  not  in 
the  bibliographical  sense  of  the  word,  for  such 
books  possess  interest  merely  to  the  book  col- 
lector, but  rare  from  the  fact  that  many  valuable 
and  exceedingly  useful  books  have  been  allowed 
to  go  out  of  print.  No  pains  or  expense  should 
be  counted  in  procuring  such  books  for  students. 
The  books  have  been  purchased  with  great 
care,  but  it  is  difficult  to  give  a  good  idea  of  the 
collection  in  a  short  space.  We  are  glad  to 
possess  a  complete  set  of  the  Congressional  Rec- 
ord and  its  predecessors,  as  far  back  as  the  Con- 
tinental Congress: 

1.  Journal   of  Congress,  September,  1774,  to 

November,  1788 18  volumes. 

2.  Debates  and  Proceedings  in  the  Congress 

of  the  United  States,  1789-1824 42  " 

3.  Register  of  Debates  in  Congress,  1821-1837,  29  " 

4.  Congressional  Globe 109  " 

5.  Congressional  Record 98  " 

Another  set  that  we  were  fortunate  enough  to 
be  able  to  buy  is  a  complete  set  of  the  Niles' 
Weekly  Register,  in  76  volumes. 

The  following  list  will  show  something  of  the 
character  of  the  books  purchased;  they  are  sim- 
ply chosen  at  random  from  the  books  bought 
within  the  last  two  years: 

Du  Cange,  C.,  Glossarium  Mediae  et  Infiime 


126  History  of  the  Library. 

Latinitatis,  7  vols. ;  Godefroy,  F.,  Dictionnaire 
de  1'Ancienne  Langue  Fran<?aise  et  de  tous  ses 
Dialects,  du  IXe  an  XVe  Siecle,  6  vols. ;  Jamie- 
son,  J.,  Etymological  Dictionary  of  the  Scottish 
Language,  5  vols. 

Complete  sets  of  the  following  philological 
journals:  Anglia,  12  vols. ;  Archiv,  84  vols. ;  En- 
glische  Studien,  14  vols. ;  Germania,  33  vols. ; 
Journal  of  Philology  (London),  17  vols.;  and 
Romania,  19  vols. 

Lagrange,  J.  L. ,  Oeuvres,  13  vols. ;  Marie,  Max- 
imilien,  Histoire  des  Sciences  Mathematiques  et 
Physiques,  12  vols. ;  Bentham,  G.,  et  Hooker,  J. 
D.,  Genera  Plantarum,  3  vols.;  Heurck,  Henri 
van,  Synopsis  des  Diatomies  deBelgique,  3  vols. ; 
Lamarck,  J.  de,  Histoire  Naturelle  des  Animanx 
sans  Yertebres,  11  vols. 

Chaucer  Society  publications,  50  vols. ;  Shake- 
speare Society  publications,  32  vols. 

Ternaux-Compans,  H. ,  Voyages,  10  volumes; 
Goethe,  J.  W.  von,  Werke,  Weimar,  27  vols. ; 
Tieck,  L. ,  Schriften,  28  vols. ;  Herder,  J.  G.  von, 
Werke,  24  vols.;  Gautier,  T.,  28  vols.;  Sainte- 
Beuve,  C. ,  31  vols.;  Societe  des  Anciens  Textes 
Fran^ais,  45  vols.;  Penrose,  F.  C. ,  Principles  of 
Athenian  Architecture. 

It  is  evident  from  reading  the  sketch  of  this 


History  of  the  Library.  127 

library  that  its  past  has  been  a  struggle.  In 
fact,  the  library's  history  for  the  last  two  or  three 
years  is  all  that  deserves  mention  from  the  stand- 
point of  actual  growth.  We  have  every  reason 
to  expect  that  henceforth  its  strength  and  size 
will  increase  rapidly. 

As  members  of  the  University,  we  look  upon 
its  present  success  with  pride,  for  we  know  with 
what  it  has  had  to  contend.  In  the  report  for 
the  year  ending  January  5,  1891,  of  the  New- 
berry  Library,  in  Chicago,  we  find  that  this  li- 
brary, which  is  only  three  and  one-half  years 
old,  has  added  an  average  of  17,315  volumes 
each  year  — more  in  one  year  than  we  have  in 
twenty-five  years.  This  thought  fills  us  with  a 
longing  desire  to  be  able  to  furnish  the  young 
people  of  Kansas  with  more  of  the  rich  literary 
treasures  of  the  past  and  present,  that  they  may 
not  be  deprived  of  intellectual  stimulus.  They 
now  have  the  use  of  about  15,000  volumes. 
While  this  collection  makes  only  a  beginning 
and  is  much  smaller  than  we  wish,  what  may 
we  not  expect  in  the  future,  since  we  have  ac- 
complished good  results  in  the  pioneer  years? 
Our  ambition  is  mainly  directed  towards  making 
a  strong  and  useful  support  for  each  department 
in  the  University,  especially  to  the  optional 


128  History  of  the  Library. 

courses.  Ezra  Cornell  defined  a  university  as 
"an  institution  where  any  person  can  find  in- 
struction in  any  study."  It  therefore  becomes 
the  business  of  a  university  library  to  supply  any 
person  with  the  literature  of  any  study.  We 
have  proved  the  importance  of  the  library  by  a 
practical  demonstration  —  by  the  good  it  is  doing 
every  day;  we  have  won  the  confidence  and 
aroused  the  pride  of  many  interested  friends. 
With  the  united  efforts  of  these  friends,  and  the 
available  resources  of  the  State,  grand  improve- 
ments may  be  expected  before  the  next  twenty- 
fifth  milestone  is  reached.  May  we  not  have  a 
high  ideal,  and  -hope  to  make  this  library  the 
literary  center  of  this  portion  of  the  country? 
Let  us  fulfill  a  mission.  Let  us  supply  the  want 
to  which  the  weakness  of  the  western  writers 
was  attributed  by  Mr.  B.  W.  Woodward;  he  said, 
in  his  address  before  the  Kansas  Academy  of 
Language  and  Literature,  April  9,  1891: 

"Who  shall  deny  that  our  eastern  writers,  like  those  of 
Europe,  succeed  largely  because  they  enjoy  advantages  denied 
to  us  —  the  access  to  great  libraries,  the  association  with  men 
of  high  culture,  the  constant  inbreathing  of  an  atmosphere 
of  literary  thinking  and  doing?  Of  all  this  the  western 
writer  has  been  in  a  measure  deprived,  and  especially  has  it 
been  forbidden  to  the  dwellers  upon  these  Kansas  prairies, 
remote  from  literary  centers." 


JAMES  MARVIN. 


STUDENT  LIFE  IN  K.  S.  U. 


AKT1IUB   G.  CANFIELD. 


STUDENT  life  at  each  of  onr  older  colleges  and 
universities  has  a  certain  character  of  its  own. 
It  is  made  up  of  a  large  body  of  forms  and  cer- 
emonies consecrated  by  long  observance,  and 
rests  upon  a  mass  of  traditions  that  have  hard- 
ened through  long  years  about  the  institution. 
The  history  of  student  life  at  the  University  of 
Kansas  during  the  first  quarter  century  of  its 
existence  must  be,  like  the  history  of  the  Univer- 
sity itself,  a  story  of  beginnings.  Twenty-five 
years  do  not  create  such  a  body  of  peculiar  forms 
and  ceremonies  and  such  a  mass  of  traditions  as 
are  necessary  to  give  its  student  life  a  very  dis- 
tinct individuality.  Nor  have  the  conditions 
surrounding  student  life  been  favorable  to  the 
rapid  growth  of  such  an  individuality.  For  years 
the  numbers  in  the  regular  collegiate  classes 
were  very  small,  and  they  have  never  been  large 

—9  (129) 


130  Student  Life. 

proportionately  to  the  size  of  the  community  in 
in  which  they  have  lived.  The  life  of  the  stu- 
dents has  never  dominated  that  of  the  town,  as 
it  has  often  done  when  institutions  are  located 
in  little  country  villages.  Furthermore,  the  stu- 
dents have  never  been  separated  from  the  larger 
community,  as  in  colleges  where  the  dormitory 
system  prevails.  They  have  not  lived  by  them- 
selves apart,  but  have  been  scattered  and  swal- 
lowed up  in  the  homes  of  the  city.  The  student 
body,  therefore,  has  never  felt  itself  to  be  a 
wholly  separate  world,  quite  outside  of  the  op- 
eration of  the  civil  and  social  laws  that  govern 
people,  and  free  to  evolve  laws  and  forms  of 
life  of  its  own.  Its  life,  political,  social,  literary, 
moral  and  religious,  has  been  largely  that  of  the 
city  and  the  State. 

But  although  the  growth  of  a  distinct  college 
community,  with  its  peculiar  organs  and  life, 
has  been  slow,  it  has  nevertheless  gone  steadily 
forward.  Certain  general  features  of  this  com- 
munity declared  themselves  early,  and  were  the 
necessary  result  of  the  constitution  of  the  Uni- 
versity or  of  circumstances  of  the  time.  Fore- 
most among  these  is  the  presence  of  women  on 
a  perfect  equality  with  men,  and  their  associa- 
tion with  them  in  all  college  relations.  This  is 


Student  Life.  131 

the  key  to  most,  perhaps,  of  the  differences  that 
distinguish  college  life  here  from  that  in  the  older 
eastern  institutions.  The  far  larger  devotion 
to  the  claims  of  "society,"  the  large  measure 
of  freedom  from  certain  boisterous  sorts  of  fun 
making,  the  more  uncertain  hold  of  athletic 
sports,  are  some  of  the  more  obvious  results  of 
the  co-educational  constitution  of  the  University. 
Among  the  circumstances  of  the  time  that 
shaped  college  life  I  am  inclined  to  put  first  the 
poverty,  maturity  and  earnestness  of  the  greater 
number  of  collegiate  students  in  the  early  classes. 
They  seem  to  have  set  a  serious  and  self-reliant 
tone  to  college  life  which  has  been  an  influence 
ever  since  and  has  done  more  than  any  official 
watchfulness  or  discipline  could  have  done  to 
keep  the  history  of  the  institution  free  from 
scandal  and  disorders.  During  the  first  ten 
years  of  its  life,  while  the  students  were  almost 
all  in  the  preparatory  classes,  there  appear  in 
its  catalogue  under  the  head  of  discipline  several 
specific  rules  for  their  government.  They  must 
not,  for  instance,  leave  town  without  the  con- 
sent of  the  Chancellor.  But  after  1873  the 
single  requirement  of  "unexceptional  deport- 
ment" has  stood  unchanged.  There  have  been 
of  course  from  time  to  time  those  pranks  that 


132  Student  Life. 

boys,  and  especially  college  boys,  will  play  upon 
each  other,  upon  the  faculty  or  upon  the  towns- 
people. Once  or  twice  they  have  overstepped 
the  bounds  of  good  judgment  and  right  feeling. 
But  in  all  the  twenty-five  years  the  student 
body  has  been  exceptionally  free  from  any- 
thing that  has  brought  real  disgrace  upon  any 
of  its  members. 

Hazing  has  been  practically  unknown.  That 
is  a  natural  result  of  the  absence  of  class  spirit, 
which  is  the  almost  necessary  consequence  of 
the  very  mixed  class  relations  of  most  students 
in  the  earlier  years  and  of  the  diversity  of 
courses  and  wide  range  of  electives  in  later 
times.  The  tie  of  class,  such  a  strong  one  in 
all  of  the  older  colleges,  has  seldom  been 
strong  here,  and  has  often  failed  to  be  consciously 
felt  at  all.  The  fraternity  tie,  strengthened  by 
the  intensity  of  fraternity  rivalries,  has  cut 
across  the  class  feeling  and  tended  further  to 
lessen  it.  Class  relations  have  been  compara- 
tively little  felt  in  society.  No  well  recognized 
social  event,  I  think,  has  grown  out  of  the  class 
organization  or  follows  class  lines.  The  ex- 
ercises of  class  day  are  the  only  ones  for  which 
a  class  is  held  responsible  by  college  tradition 
so  far  as  it  is  at  present  established.  A  formal 


Student  Life.  133 

class  organization  has  usually  been  kept  up  by 
classes,  though  the  great  irregularity  of  students 
has  often  made  it  impossible  to  draw  the  lines 
of  membership  sharply.  Usually  also  some 
further  attempt  is  made  during  the  course  to  de- 
velop the  class  consciousness,  either  by  a  class 
supper,  or  a  class  party,  or  by  some  distinction 
of  dress.  Thus  the  class  of  '84,  in  their  Sopho- 
more year  adopted  the  mortar  board  as  the  class 
hat.  Within  the  last  few  years  class  hats  have 
been  adopted  by  several  classes,  usually  in  their 
Senior  year,  but  also  sometimes  in  the  Sopho- 
more year.  Class  parties  have  hardly  ever  been 
given  before  the  Junior  year,  though  the  ladies 
of  '84  entertained  the  gentlemen  of  the  class 
during  their  Sophomore  year,  and  '88  had  a 
party  when  they  were  still  Freshmen.  But 
these  seem  to  be  only  sporadic  exhibitions  of 
class  consciousness.  Only  in  the  class  of  '81 
does  the  class  tie  seem  to  have  been  much  more 
than  nominal  and  to  have  outlived  the  chilling 
contact  of  the  world.  Still  there  have  been  in- 
dications in  the  past  three  years  that  Seniors, 
as  the  day  of  their  separation  approaches,  ap- 
preciate the  value  of  the  class  relation  more  than 
used  to  be  the  case ;  and  the  greater  regularity 
of  the  students  in  their  courses  and  the  increased 


134  Student  Life. 

number  of  those  who  can  pursue  their  course  to 
the  end  without  interruption  give  a  basis  for  class 
spirit  which  has  hitherto  been  absent. 

It  is  the  fraternity  which  has  been  by  far  the 
most  important  unit  within  the  University,  both 
in  society  and  in  politics.  Almost  all  those  so- 
cial events  which  have  a  well  marked  university 
character  have  been  due  to  some  one  or  other  of 
the  fraternities.  The  receptions  and  parties  that 
belong  specifically  to  the  student  world  and  are 
regularly  recurring  features  of  the  social  year 
are  fraternity  parties  and  receptions.  There 
have  been  nine  fraternities  in  the  University, 
six  belonging  to  the  young  men  and  three  to 
the  young  women.  About  100  of  the  221  colle- 
giate undergraduates  at  the  present  time  are 
members  of  fraternities.  This  proportion  has 
been  quite  constant  for  a  number  of  years. 

The  first  of  the  fraternities  to  enter  the  Uni- 
versity was  Beta  Theta  Pi.  It  was  founded 
through  the  efforts  of  Major  W.  0.  Ransom  on 
the  9th  of  January,  1873.  The  University  at 
this  time  contained  less  than  fifty  students  in  the 
regular  college  classes.  Its  charter  members 
were:  F.  C.  Bassett,  Jas.  A.  Wickersham,  L.  D. 
L.  Tosh,  E.  B.  Noyes,  E.  H.  Bancroft,  Ralph 
Collins,  Frank  MacLennan  and  J.  D.  Lambert. 


Student  Life.  135 

Many  if  not  all  of  these  were  members  of  the 
"  Degree  of  Oread  Society,1'  ti  sort  of  secret  so- 
ciety existing  within  the  Oread  Literary  Society, 
and  containing  also  a  number  of  young  ladies. 
Some  of  these  young  ladies  had  already  been  in 
conference  with  representatives  of  the  I.  C.  So- 
rosis  in  the  spring  and  summer  of  1872,  and 
when  they  were  sure  that  the  Chapter  of  Beta 
Theta  Pi  had  been  founded  they  secured  a  char- 
ter for  the  Kappa  Chapter  of  I.  C.,  and  the  I. 
C.  V  pins  appeared  at  the  University  almost  as 
soon  as  the  Betas'.  Their  charter  was  granted 
April  1st,  1873;  the  charter  members  were: 
Hannah  Oliver,  May  Richardson,  Lizzie  Yeag- 
ley,  Flora  Richardson,  A.  Gertrude  Boughton, 
Alma  Richardson  and  Vina  Lambert.  The  num- 
ber of  regular  collegiate  undergraduates  then 
was  thirty-nine,  twenty-two  of  whom  were  in  the 
Freshman  class,  and  of  this  number  the  two 
young  fraternities  took  in  sixteen.  An  Alumni 
Chapter  was  established  by  the  I.  C. 's  in  Law- 
rence in  1882.  In  1888  the  fraternity  elected 
to  be  called  by  its  Greek  letter  name,  Pi  Beta 
Phi. 

By  1876  the  number  of  collegiate  students 
had  grown  to  between  seventy  and  eighty,  and 
in  the  beginning  of  that  year  a  charter  was 


136  Student  Life. 

granted  for  the  Kansas  Alpha  Chapter  of  Phi 
Kappa  Psi.  The  Chapter  was  established  Feb- 
ruary 19th,  the  charter  members  being:  F.  O. 
Marvin,  through  whose  efforts  largely  the  charter 
was  secured,  Charles  S.  Gleed,  G.  W.  Hapgood, 
II.  H.  Jenkins,  Valorous  F.  Brown,  Harry  W. 
Berks,  J.  W.  Gleed,  H.  D.Crandall,  G.  T.  Nichol- 
son. The  Phi  Psis  became  at  once  the  stubborn 
rivals  of  the  Betas,  and  both  have  continued  to 
play  a  prominent  part  in  University  society  and 
politics  ever  since. 

Kappa  Alpha  Theta  was  the  fourth  fraternity 
to  found  a  Chapter  here.  In  the  beginning  of 
1881  it  granted  a  charter  to  M.  Lizzie  Wilder, 
Julia  M.  Watson,  Maggie  R.  Eidemiller,  Alice 
E.  Bartell,  Grace  Iloughtelin,  Cora  E.  Pierson, 
Kate  L.  Kidenour,  Lizzie  V.  Caldwell,  Carrie  E. 
Heyward,  Jo  Brown,  Roberta  Neisley,  Clara 
Gillham  and  Ida  E.  Bay,  and  on  the  17th  of 
March  they  were  initiated  and  the  Chapter  estab- 
lished. 

During  the  summer  of  the  same  year  a  charter 
was  secured  from  Phi  Gamma  Delta,  and  on  the 
17th  of  December  the  Pi  Deuteron  Chapter  of 
that  fraternity  was  established  here  with  the  fol- 
lowing as  charter  members:  Glen  L.  Miller,  J. 
T.  Harlow,  Samuel  Seaton,  John  D.  McLaren, 


Student  Life.  137 

W.  C.  Stevens.  In  this  year,  out  of  an  enroll- 
ment of  132  in  collegiate  classes  the  five  frater- 
nities contained  5-i. 

The  members  of  Phi  Gamma  Delta  began  at 
once  to  mingle  prominently  in  the  affairs  of  the 
college  world.  They  especially  antagonized  Phi 
Kappa  Psi,  and  had  a  considerable  share  in  the 
revival  of  the  Courier  in  1882  as  a  rival  of  the 
Review,  which  was  then  controlled  by  Phi  Kappa 
Psi.  They  have  continued  to  maintain  their 
connection  with  the  Courier  ever  since,  but  the 
fortunes  of  college  politics  have  changed  their 
old  antagonists  in  journalism  into  their  allies. 

The  following  year  added  Phi  Delta  Theta  to 
the  fraternities  already  established.  The  Chap- 
ter was  founded  Oct.  20th,  1882,  having  the  fol- 
lowing charter  members:  E.  F.  Cal dwell,  W. 
T.  Findley,  B.  T.  Chase,  T.  Jack  Schall,  S.  A. 
Detwiler,  J.  A.  Fowler,  Justin  P.  Jacke  and 
Stanley  Williams.  The  Chapter  ran  sub  rosa 
for  several  months;  the  pins  were  first  publicly 
donned  March  20th,  1883. 

As  early  as  March,  1882,  there  were  rumors 
afloat  in  the  University  that  a  Chapter  of 
Kappa  Kappa  Gamma  was  about  to  be 
founded  here,  due  perhaps  to  the  fact  that 
a  member  of  that  fraternity  had  become  a 


138  Student  Life. 

student  here.  The  rumor  continued  to  be 
revived  from  time  to  time  during  the  next 
two  years,  but  it  was  not  till  the  fall  of  1883 
that  the  Chapter  was  really  established,  Evelyn 
Smith,  Laura  Leach,  Rose  Wagner,  Mabel 
Gore,  Mabel  Wemple,  Bertha  Starr,  Sallie  Love- 
land  and  Eva  Howe  being  the  charter  members. 
The  first  public  appearance  of  the  fraternity  was 
on  Monday,  February  4th,  1884. 

The  spring  of  1884  saw  also  the  advent  of 
Sigma  Chi,  which  had  also  been  heralded  by  ru- 
mor the  previous  November.  The  Alpha  Chi 
Chapter  of  that  fraternity  was  established  May 
16th  of  that  year,  and  the  charter  members  were 
B.  C.  Preston,  C.  L.  Smith,  C.  S.  Metcalfe,  R. 
L.  McAlpine,  Guy  Schultz,  Will  Schultz,  D.  C. 
Kennedy,  H.  F.  Albert  and  Geo.  Metcalfe. 

The  latest  comer  among  the  Greek  letter  socie- 
ties is  Sigma  Nu.  The  date  of  its  establishment 
was  June,  1884,  and  its  charter  members  were 
J.  T.  Howard,  H.  B.  Martin,  P.  R.  Bennett,  G. 
W.  Harrington,  F.  A.  Marshall,  A.  C.  Markley. 
Several  of  these  charter  members  had  been 
prominent  in  University  politics,  often  in  com- 
binations against  the  fraternities,  and  the  new 
fraternity  met  at  first  with  some  opposition  from 
the  other  Greeks. 


Student  Life.  139 

All  of  these  fraternities  continue  to  exist  in  a 
flourishing  condition,  except  Sigma  Chi,  which 
suffered  in  1889-90  from  internal  discords  which 
it  barely  weathered,  and  lost  its  standing  in  the 
first  part  of  the  present  year  with  the  withdrawal 
of  its  best  men. 

The  social  life  of  the  University  cannot  well 
be  considered  apart  from  the  fraternities,  for  it 
has  centered  in  them.  The  intensity  of  this  so- 
cial life  has  varied  from  year  to  year  and  from 
fraternity  to  fraternity.  As  a  rule  each  fra- 
ternity has  planned  to  have  two  considerable 
social  events  during  the  year.  These  have 
usually  taken  the  form  of  evening  parties,  with 
dancing  and  refreshments.  More  rarely  have 
these  events  taken  the  shape  of  formal  dinners 
or  suppers  with  toasts  and  perhaps  some  musical 
or  literary  features.  Unusual  activity  in  social 
life  is  indicated  by  the  frequency  of  informal 
hops  or  other  parties.  Only  rarely  and  among 
a  small  circle  of  students  has  this  social  activity 
amounted  to  dissipation  or  invaded  the  precincts 
of  the  University  building.  There  were  times 
in  1884  and  1885,  however,  when  Oread  Hall 
was  invaded  by  some  light-headed  and  light- 
footed  devotees  of  society  for  whom  the  even- 
ings were  not  enough. 


140  Student  Life. 

During  the  years  when  Beta  Theta  Pi  and  Phi 
Kappa  Psi  were  the  sole  fraternities  among  the 
young  men,  the  keenness  of  the  rivalry  between 
them  seems  to  have  drawn  the  fraternity  lines 
pretty  tight,  and  I  have  found  little  reference 
during  those  years  to  interchanges  of  social 
courtesies  between  the  two.  But  in  1881  an 
era  of  good  feeling  seems  to  have  been  inaugu- 
rated by  a  banquet  given  by  Beta  Theta  Pi  to 
its  rival.  From  that  time  to  the  end  of  1885 
parties  given  by  one  fraternity  to  another  were 
a  favorite  form  of  social  life.  Since  then  it  has 
been  more  customary  for  a  fraternity  to  choose 
its  guests  from  all  the  other  fraternities.  Once 
the  male  fraternities  have  put  aside  their  rival- 
ries and  united  in  a  celebration  of  their  common 
aims,  in  the  Pan-Hellenic,  March  8th,  1889.* 
The  Sigma  Nus  however  did  not  participate. 
On  the  same  evening  the  three  fraternities  of  the 
young  ladies  also  united  in  a  celebration.  The 
faculty  lias  done  little  to  influence  or  direct  the 
social  life  of  the  students.  It  has  often  been 
represented  at  the  social  gatherings  of  the  stu- 
dents, but  has  not  often  brought  students  to- 
gether in  the  homes  of  its  members.  An  attempt 

*  About  two  years  before  this,  and  perhaps  still  earlier,  there  had 
been  a  more  informal  meeting  of  several  fraternities. 


Student  Life. 


to  bring  the  whole  University  together  socially 
was  made  in  what  used  to  be  called  the  faculty 
reception.  This  was  a  reception  given  at  the 
University  shortly  after'  the  opening  of  the 
college  year  to  all  students,  with  the  desire  of  in- 
troducing the  new  students  to  the  old,  making 
them  feel  more  at  home,  and  strengthening  the 
feeling  of  solidarity  among  all  students.  These 
receptions  were  inaugurated  in  1877  and  were 
continued  until  1885.  The  custom  was  revived 
by  Chancellor  Snow  in  the  reception  to  the  Uni- 
versity at  large  given  at  the  beginning  of  last 
December.  The  University  ball,  as  an  occasion 
to  unite  all  members  of  the  University  without 
reference  to  fraternity  or  other  distinctions,  has 
never  established  itself  as  a  regular  social  event 
of  the  year.  University  balls  have  been  given 
in  1881,  1882,  1883,  1890,  and  in  the  first  half 
of  the  present  year. 

The  literary  life  of  the  students  has  had  two 
main  channels  of  expression,  the  literary  society 
and  the  college  journals.  Both  have  revealed 
a  considerable  activity,  and  both  have  been 
closely  connected  with  college  politics  and  often 
not  to  their  advantage.  The  life  of  the  various 
literary  societies  and  of  the  numerous  journals 
that  have  been  founded  here  has  been  marked  by 


142  Student  Life. 

• 

the  struggle  between  rival  factions  for  the  con- 
trol of  those  societies  and  journals;  and  these 
factions  have  usually  been  separated  on  frater- 
nity lines.  No  combination  between  different 
fraternities  has  been  stable  for  a  long  term  of 
years,  and  they  have  generally  shifted  from  year 
to  year.  Every  fraternity  has  had  its  turn  in  a 
winning  alliance. 

The  first  paper*  published  by  undergraduates 
of  the  University  was  the  Observer  of  Nature. 
This  was  the  organ  of  the  Natural  History  Soci- 
ety, and  was  edited  by  William  Osburn, '  77.  The 
first  number  appeared  with  the  date  of  the  1st 
of  April,  1874.  ..Four  numbers  came  out  before 
commencement,  and  made  up  the  first  volume. 
The  second  volume  was  published  at  irregular 
intervals  during  the  second  half  of  the  next  year, 
and  consisted  of  five  numbers. 

The  next  year  a  new  paper,  called  the  Kansas 
Collegiate,  appeared.  This  was  really  an  expan- 
sion of  the  Observer  of  Nature,  for  both  papers 
were  issued  to  the  same  subscribers  and  under 
the  same  management;  the  Observer  limited  itself 
to  scientific  articles,  and  the  Collegiate  devoted 


Student  Life.  143 

itself  to  literary  articles,  editorials  and  news. 
Charles  S.  Gleed,  who  had  assisted  in  the  second 
volume  of  the  Observer,  edited  the  Collegiate  and 
William  Osburn  the  Observer. 

After  the  spring  of  1876,  the  Observer  ceased 
to  appear.  The  Collegiate  continued  to  hold  the 
field  alone  until  1878.  In  that  year  two  rivals 
appeared,  the  University  Courier  and  the  Univer- 
sity Pastime.  The  Courier  seems  to  have  been 
a  revolt  against  an  alleged  exclusiveness  in  the 
management  of  the  Review.  The  Pastime  was 
a  private  venture,  devoted  particularly  to  news 
and  inclined  to  sensation,  and  was  published 
fortnightly.  It  lived  only  till  April  16th,  1879. 

The  Courier  issued  but  eight  numbers  of  its 
first  volume,  but  began  its  second  volume  regu- 
larly in  September,  1879.  It  did  not  survive 
the  year,  however.  An  effort  to  consolidate  it 
with  the  Collegiate  failed,  but  led  to  the  secession 
of  a  part  of  its  supporters,  and  it  ceased  publi- 
cation for  lack  of  support  in  the  beginning  of 
1880.  Those  who  had  withdrawn  from  the 
Courier  went  over  to  the  Collegiate,  and  were 
given  representation  on  it,  and  under  the  new 
control  it  appeared  in  November,  1879,  as  the 
Kansas  Review. 

For  two  years,  1880-81  and  1881-82,  the  Re- 


144  Student  Life. 

view  had  no  rival.  But  in  the  fall  of  1882  the 
Courier  was  revived,  again  as  a  revolt  against 
the  exclusiveness  of  the  management  of  the  Re- 
view, and  continued  to  appear  every  fortnight 
till  commencement,  1884,  when  there  was  again 
a  dissension  in  its  ranks.  Its  directors  voted  to 
consolidate  with  the  Review  under  the  name  of 
the  University  Review,  but  a  party  refused  to 
accept  the  conclusion,  and  began  in  the  fall  of 
1884  to  continue  the  publication  of  the  Courier 
as  a  weekly.  Since  that  time  the  Review  has 
remained  the  only  monthly  published  by  the 
students. 

The  Courier  continued  to  have  a  checkered 
career.  At  first  the  Review  opposed  it  with  a 
weekly  of  its  own  called  the  News,  but  the 
Courier  proved  to  have  the  most  vitality,  and  the 
News  soon  suspended.  In  the  following  year  a 
quarrel  in  the  Courier  company  led  to  a  split 
and  the  publication  for  a  considerable  portion 
of  the  year  of  two  Couriers,  one  controlled  by 
the  Phi  Gamma  Delta  fraternity  and  the  other 
principally  by  Mr.  John  Sullivan.  About  the 
middle  of  the  year  Mr.  Sullivan  sold  out  his 
Courier  to  his  rival  and  left  it  in  possession  of 
the  field.  Its  possession  was  undisputed  for  the 
next  two  years,  but  in  1888  -the  fraternities 


Student  Life.  145 

which  were  unrepresented  on  the  Courier,  with 
the  aid  of  non-fraternity  students,  founded  the 
Times.  It  was  published  as  a  weekly  rival  of 
the  Courier  throughout  the  year,  but  did  not 
reach  a  second  volume.  But  it  had  a  successor 
in  the  University  Kansan,  which  was  the  Cou- 
rier'' s  rival  through  the  year  1889-90.  At  the 
beginning  of  the  present  year  the  two  companies 
came  to  an  agreement,  and  but  one  weekly  pa- 
per has  been  published,  still  under  the  name  of 
the  Courier. 

Besides  these  monthlies  and  weeklies  five  an- 
nuals have  been  issued  from  the  University. 
The  first  was  in  the  year  1873,  and  was  called 
the  Ilierophitntes.  The  next  was  in  the  year 
!»•_',  and  was  tiie  Kikkabe.  It  was  intended 
that  the  Kikka.1n-  should  be  issued  every  year,  and 
for  the  two  following  years  annuals  were  regu- 
larly published,  though  each  year  under  a  differ- 
ent name.  In  '83  it  was  the  Cyclone,  and  in  '84r 
the  Cicala.  Since  then  but  one  annual  has  been 
published,  in  '81),  under  the  name  of  the  lleli- 
aidhux.  These  annuals,  like  similar  publica- 
tions at  other  colleges,  contain  a  very  full 
account  of  the  various  student  organizations, 
and  much  valuable  matter  which  does  not  find 
its  way  into  other  publications  of  the  University. 
—10 


Student  Life. 


The  first  literary  society  founded  at  the  Uni- 
versity was  called  the  "Acropolis  Society."  Its 
objects  were  the  ordinary  ones  of  college  debat- 
ing societies,  and  its  exercises  were  of  the  usual 
kind.  Founded  in  1866,  it  was  successful  at 
first,  and  then  afterwards  languished,  so  that  in 
1870  a  new  departure  was  taken;  the  name  was 
changed  to  Orophilian,  and  the  young  women 
were  excluded,  or  at  least  discouraged  from  at- 
tending. This,  with  other  elements  of  disaffec- 
tion, led  to  a  secession  from  the  society  and  the 
foundation  of  a  new  one,  to  which  the  name 
Oread  was  given.  The  existence  of  a  rival  seems 
to  have  contributed  to  the  vigor  and  prosperity 
of  both  societies,  and  for  many  years  they  con- 
tinued in  active  and  fruitful  operation.  Some 
time  about  1875  they  began  to  give  public  exhi- 
bitions on  evenings  of  commencement  week,  or 
those  just  preceding.  In  1880  an  annual  con- 
test between  the  two  societies  was  inaugurated. 
These  contests  were  held  during  the  month  of 
December  and  were  among  the  great  events  of 
the  year.  The  first  contest  was  won  by  Oread, 
who  also  won  in  '83  and  '84.  Orophilian  won 
in  '81,  '82,  '85,  '86.  In  1884  the  commence- 
ment exhibitions  of  the  two  societies  were 
changed  to  a  joint  exhibition.  By  this  time, 


Student  Life.  147 

however,  the  prime  of  the  societies  was  passed. 
Oread  was  the  first  to  cease  to  hold  meetings,  in 
the  fall  of  1886.  Her  place  and  hall  were  taken 
by  a  new  society,  the  Athenaeum,  which  had  de- 
veloped out  of  an  offshoot  of  Orophilian.  Oro- 
philian,  too,  was  living  a  precarious  sort  of  life. 
Several  of  its  members  had  formed  an  independ- 
ent and  smaller  debating  club  that  met  in  Oro- 
philian hall  on  Saturday  afternoons.  This  club 
later  took  the  name  of  "Moot  Senate,,"  and 
after  Oread  ceased  to  meet,  it  transferred  its 
sessions  to  her  hall  and  became  the  Athenaeum 
Literary  Society,  March  18, 1887.  But  that  these 
societies  were  no  longer  satisfying  the  wants  of 
the  students  in  the  direction  of  practice  in  debate 
is  shown  by  the  formation  in  this  same  year, 
1886-7,  of  two  other  debating  clubs  —  the  Dick- 
son  Debating  Club  and  the  Lime  Kiln  Debating 
Club.  But  Orophilian  and  Athenaeum  contin- 
ued to  exist  down  to  1889.  Athenaeum  then  dis- 
appeared from  sight.  Orophilian  made  several 
attempts  to  get  back  her  old  energies,  but  in 
vain.  Athenaeum's  place  had  been  taken  by 
a  purely  non-fraternity  society,  the  Adelphic, 
which  seemed  to  be  doing  good  work.  The 
fragments  of  Orophilian  made  a  last  effort  to 
live,  and  formed  themselves  into  the  "Univer- 


148  Student  Life. 

sity  Literary  Club,"  and  an  arrangement  was 
made  whereby,  under  certain  conditions,  the 
work  done  in  the  club  should  be  credited  on  the 
English  work  of  the  student  in  class.  But  the 
club  lasted  only  to  the  end  of  the  year,  and 
failed  to  show  itself  at  the  beginning  of  1890-91. 
Adelphic  remains  the  only  general  literary  so- 
ciety among  the  students. 

There  are  two  reasons  for  this  decay  of  the 
literary  societies.  On6  is  to  be  found  in  the  in- 
jurious entrance  of  politics  into  them  in  the  at- 
tempts to  control  the  election  of  the  contest  and 
June  programs.  These  elections  came  to  be 
very  stormy  affairs  and  the  spirit  often  ran  very 
high.  The  real  aims  of  the  society  were  buried 
beneath  struggle  for  honors  and  place;  voting 
and  getting  elected  became  of  more  importance 
than  literary  work  and  practice  in  debate.  The 
other  reason  is  to  be  found  in  the  change  that 
has  been  coming  over  the  whole  University, 
and  not  over  this  university  alone  but  over 
many  others.  I  mean  the  change  in  the  meth- 
ods and  range  of  study  and  the  growing  speciali- 
zation of  students,  and  their  larger  interest  in 
investigation.  As  this  change  has  gone  on  the 
special  club  or  society  has  taken  the  place  of  the 
general  literary  society.  The  first  movement  in 


Student  Life. 

this  direction  here  was  an  outgrowth  of  the  in- 
terest in  natural  history.  A  Natural  History 
Society  was  formed  in  1873  and  continued  to 
exist  until  1877.  During  the  same  time  little 
clubs  with  no  special  organization  were  formed 
among  their  students  by  the  professors  of  Greek, 
History  and  Modern  Languages.  It  is  in  part 
an  expression  of  the  same  tendency  that  the 
normal  students  formed  in  1881  a  separate  Nor- 
mal Society  which  continued  until  the  abandon- 
ment of  the  Normal  Department,  and  that  the 
preparatory  students  in  1882  also  banded  them- 
selves together  in  a  separate  organization.  The 
law  students  organized  Nov.  29th,  1880,  a  Kent 
Club  for  the  holding  of  moot  courts  and  for 
practice  in  debating.  Nov.  24th,  1882,  the  stu- 
dents of  civil  engineering  founded  an  Engi- 
neering Society.  On  September  15th,  1882,  a 
Social  Science  Club  was  formed,  to  hold  its 
meetings  every  Friday,  but  this  club  had  but  a 
short  life,  having  ceased  to  be  by  the  new  year. 
February  8th,  188-t,  a  medical  society  was  formed 
under  the  name  of  the  latrikos.  This  was  consoli- 
dated in  January  of  the  following  year  with  the 
Civil  Engineering  Society  to  form  the  Science 
Club,  which  has  had  a  healthy  life  ever  since,  and 
still  continues  to  hold  fortnightly  meetings.  In 


150  Student  Life. 

1883  a  German  Club  was  formed,  which  through 
various  changes  of  form  has  continued  to  exist, 
and  took  on  during  the  past  year  the  form  of  a 
Modern  Language  Club,  holding  weekly  meet- 
ings alternately  in  French  and  German.  A 
Pharmacy  Association  was  established  in  Janu- 
ary, 1887;  it  met  at  first  every  Thursday,  but 
now  holds  its  meetings  every  other  Friday  even- 
ing. In  the  fall  of  1886  a  Philological  Club 
was  added  to  the  others,  and  now  holds  its  meet- 
ings every  other  Friday  evening,  alternating  with 
the  Science  Club.  The  Seminary  of  Historical 
and  Political  Science,  under  the  direction  of  the 
professors  of  History  and  Political  Economy, 
was  founded  in  1887,  and  holds  meetings  on  al- 
ternate Friday  afternoons.  It  has  just  begun 
the  publication  of  its  papers  or  abstracts  of  them, 
under  the  title  of  "Seminary  Notes." 

Another  organization  which  has  a  close  con- 
nection with  the  literary  life  of  the  students  is 
the  Oratorical  Association,  whose  business  is  to 
arrange  for  the  contest  in  oratory,  by  which  the 
orator  is  chosen  who  is  to  represent  the  Univer- 
sity in  the  annual  inter-collegiate  contest.  The 
Inter-Collegiate  Association  was  first  suggested 
by  the  University  in  1881.  The  suggestion  was 
repeated  in  the  following  year,  and  in  1883  a 


Student  Life.  151 

committee  was  appointed  to  draft  a  constitution 
and  work  up  the  movement  in  the  other  colleges 
of  the  State.  The  efforts  of  this  committee  were 
successful ;  the  other  colleges  gave  their  ap- 
proval, and  the  first  contest  was  held  February 
22d,  188i.  The  first  State  contest  was  held  at 
Lawrence  April  18th,  and  resulted  in  a  victory 
for  the  representative  from  the  Normal  School, 
at  Emporia.  He  was,  however,  convicted  of 
plagiarism  and  thrown  out  and  a  new  contest 
ordered  at  Baldwin,  at  which  our  representative, 
Mr.  L.  H.  Leach,  was  the  winner.  In  the 
series  of  State  contests  thus  far  the  University 
has  won  first  place  three  times. 

The  part  which  music  has  played  in  the  col- 
lege life  of  our  University  is  very  small.  The 
Department  of  Music  has  done  much  for  mu- 
sical education,  but  it  has  apparently  made  lit- 
tle impression  upon  collegiate  students.  The 
lack  of  college  singing  has  been  a  fruitful  topic 
of  lamentation  in  the  college  press  ever  since 
its  beginning.  Various  means  have  been  sug- 
gested and  tried  to  stimulate  the  production  of 
university  songs,  but  the  one  or  two  that  have 
been  produced  have  never  had  the  experience 
of  being  sung  by  a  chorus  of  the  whole  student 
body.  And  there  have  been  few  musical  or- 


152  Student  Life. 

ganizations  among  the  students.  Of  those  that 
have  existed  the  Arion  quartette  was  by  far  the 
most  famous.  The  members  were  C.  F.  Scott, 
J.  W.  Gleed,  G.  C.  Smith  and  Scott  Hopkins. 
There  was  a  University  Musical  Union  in  1880 
working  under  the  direction  of  Prof.  F.  O. 
Marvin  at  choruses.  It  died  in  the  following 
year,  but  was  revived  again  in  1883  and  lived 
for  two  years  longer.  The  only  orchestra  of 
which  there  is  record  is  the  Phi  Kappa  Psi  Or- 
chestra of  1885.  The  past  year  has  seen  the 
organization  of  a  Glee  Club  and  a  Mandolin 
Club. 

In  another  field  which  in  most  colleges  absorbs 
a  goodly  share  of  the  free  activities  of  the  stu- 
dent body,  that  of  athletic  sports,  the  University 
has  also  comparatively  little  to  offer.  Not  that 
there  has  ever  been  a  time  when  they  have  been 
totally  neglected,  for  even  from  the  first  years 
of  its  history  there  is  the  record  of  the  visit  of 
a  nine  from  the  University  to  Topeka,  and  their 
defeat  by  a  Topeka  nine  by  the  close  score  of 
ninety-six  to  fifty-seven.  But  the  number  of 
those  feeling  a  keen  interest  in  these  sports  has 
always  been  few,  there  has  been  no  regular  ri- 
valry between  the  University  and  other  colleges, 
and  contests  with  other  colleges  have  been  few 


Student  Life.  153 

and  far  between.  This  apathy  in  athletics  has 
been  remarked  very  frequently  in  the  University 
papers. 

The  first  organized  effort  in  connection  with 
athletics  was  the  formation  of  a  company  of 
cadets  in  1878.  In  May  the  roll  of  the  company 
numbered  seventy-five  men,  with  Scott  Hopkins 
as  captain.  A  band  was  in  practice  under  the 
leadership  of  Stuart  O.  Henry.  Enthusiasm  was 
great,  and  it  was  expected  that  a  regular  army 
officer  would  be  detailed  to  instruct  them  the 
next  year.  The  next  fall  they  began  the  college 
year  by  ordering  uniforms  of  light  and  dark 
blue,  much  like  the  uniforms  of  the  regular 
army,  but  the  paper  of  February  28th,  1879, 
contains  the  obituary  notice  of  this  short-lived 
company.  In  1885  the  papers  agitated  the  re- 
vival of  the  military  company,  but  without  effect. 

One  athletic  feature  of  the  older  college  life 
that  disappeared  long  ago  is  the  annual  rope 
pull  between  the  Freshmen  and  Sophomores. 
When  this  was  instituted  I  do  not  know.  In 
1879  it  was  already  an  old  institution.  It  oc- 
curred sometime  during  the  fall  term,  and  en- 
gaged the  whole  of  the  two  lower  classes.  It . 
occurred  for  the  hist  time  in  1880. 

Naturally  all  our  contests  with  other  colleges 


154  Student  Life, 

have  been  in  base  ball,  until  last  fall,  but  I  do 
not  find  a  record  of  any  contest  at  all  before 
1880.  That  year  seems  to  have  seen  a  revival 
of  interest  in  base  ball.  The  faculty  is  reported 
to  have  given  the  nine  its  approval,  and  the  Can- 
field  silver  ball  was  given  as  a  prize  to  stimulate 
effort.  Washburn  was  challenged  and  a  series 
of  three  games  played.  The  first,  played  at  To- 
peka,  was  lost,  but  the  other  two  were  won. 
The  next  time  the  University  played  Washburn 
was  in  1885,  when  Washburn  was  victorious. 
She  was  again  victorious  in  1886,  and  in  two 
games  in  the  spring  of  1887.  In  1888  Washburn 
was  twice  defeated.  The  University  met  Baker 
twice  in  1886,  one  game  being  drawn  and  the 
other  being  won  by  the  University.  In  1888  we 
met  Baker  once  and  won,  and  in  1889  Baker 
was  defeated  by  us  again. 

Foot  ball  as  a  scientific  game  was  never  in- 
troduced in  the  University  till  last  fall,  when  it 
created  a  great  deal  of  enthusiasm  and  did  much 
to  stimulate  a  general  interest  in  out-door  sports. 

Tennis  was  introduced  at  the  University  as 
early  as  1884,  but  was  never  played  much  until 
1887-88.  In  the  spring  of  1888  the  University 
played  two  matches  with  Washburn,  winning  the 
doubles  and  drawing  the  singles. 


Student  Life.  155 

The  management  and  control  of  athletic  sports 
have  been  for  the  most  part  in  temporary  and 
shifting  organizations.  This  has  entailed  great 
loss  of  coherence  and  concentration  upon  their 
management.  Various  attempts  have  been  made 
to  give  the  different  athletic  interests  a  united 
and  consistent  direction  through  one  organiza- 
tion. The  most  elaborate  was  in  1884,  when  an 
Athletic  Association  was  formed  with  carefully 
drawn  constitution  and  by-laws.  But  it  did  not 
last  out  a  year,  and  the  unnatural  activity  which 
it  created  was  followed  by  a  greater  apathy  than 
had  existed  before.  Another  attempt  was  made 
in  December,  1889,  and  the  association  then 
formed  is  still  in  existence.  Besides  supplying 
a  central  management  for  the  various  sports,  it 
set  itself  to  the  task  of  raising  money  to  procure 
and  fit  up  suitable  grounds  for  an  athletic  field. 
The  need  of  such  a  field  entirely  under  the  con- 
trol of  the  University  has  long  been  felt  by  the 
students  and  frequently  been  pointed  out  by  the 
college  papers.  A  subscription  was  begun  among 
the  students  and  faculty,  and  about  $200  raised. 
Colonel  McCook,  of  New  York,  interested  him- 
self in  the  plans  of  the  association  and  gave 
(1,500  towards  its  object,  with  the  promise  of 
doubling  whatever  it  should  raise  up  to  $10,000. 


156  Student  Life. 

The  association  has  prosecuted  its  work  daring 
the  present  year  and  raised  about  $800,  and  has 
received  a  further  gift  from  Col.  McCook  of 
$1,000,  so  that  there  is  available  for  its  purpose 
about  $3, 500. 

A  gymnasium  has  also  long  been  called  for  by 
the  students  and  urged  by  the  officers  of  the 
University.  Chancellor  Fraser  recommended 
in  his  day  the  erection  of  an  inexpensive  building 
to  serve  the  temporary  needs  of  the  students, 
but  met  with  no  response.  In  the  absence  of 
all  provision  for  a  building,  the  students  have 
set  about  helping  themselves  as  best  they 
could.  In  the  winter  of  1882  the  authori- 
ties granted  the  use  of  one  of  the  rooms  in 
the  basement  of  the  main  building,  and  a 
gymnasium  association  was  formed  to  equip 
it  with  the  simplest  and  most  necessary  ap- 
paratus. This  association  went  to  pieces  in 
the  course  of  a  year,  and  the  apparatus,  not 
being  carefully  handled,  was  broken  or  lost. 
The  present  Athletic  Association  revived  the 
gymnasium  movement  and  purchased  sufficient 
machinery  to  equip  one  of  the  large  rooms  in 
the  dome  of  the  main  building. 

Soon  after  the  formation  of  the  State  Ora- 
torical Association  the  college  papers  agitated  the 


Student  Life.  157 

formation  of  a  State  Athletic  Association. 
Nothing  came  of  it,  although  the  suggestion  was 
repeated  from  time  to  time.  The  past  year, 
however,  has  seen  the  formation  of  a  triangular 
league  between  Washburn.  Baker  and  the  Uni- 
versity; and  this  has  been  mainly  due  to  the  ef- 
forts of  the  students  of  the  University. 

Various  voices  have  lamented  in  the  past  the 
lack  among  the  students  of  the  University  of 
that  enthusiasm  for  their  institution  which  is 
known  as  college  spirit.  There  seem  to  have 
been  few  vigorous  demonstrations  of  it  in  the 
early  years  of  the  college;  and  that  is  not 
strange  considering  the  few  occasions  on  which 
this  enthusiasm  was  sharpened  by  competition 
with  rival  colleges.  The  oratorical  contests 
proved  that  it  was  not  wanting  by  giving  it 
a  chance  for  expression,  and  greatly  stimu- 
lated it.  The  athletic  contests  do  the  same  thing. 
No  one  can  well  doubt  the  vigorous  loyalty  of 
the  student  body  to  the  University  when  he 
hears  the  thunder  of  the  college  yell  sent  up 
from  the  foot-ball  or  base-ball  field.  The  ex- 
istence of  the  yell  itself  is  a  proof  of  that  spirit; 
one  common  sentiment  of  love  and  pride  and 
exultation  seeks  expression  in  one  common 
form  of  words — "llock  Chalk,  Jay  Hawk, 
K.  U." 


J.   A.    LlPPINCOTT. 


REMINISCENCES. 


I>.   II.    HOHINSON. 


THE  OPENING  OF  THE  TJNLVERSITY  OF  KANSAS. 

TWENTY-FIVE  years  ago  I  was  elected  to  a  pro- 
fessorship in  the  University  of  Kansas.  In  no 
other  State  would  a  similar  election  have  pleased 
me  as  well;  for  I  thought  then,  and  hold  the 
same  opinion  still,  that  the  superior  intelligence 
and  moral  purpose  of  the  early  settlers  must 
soon  show  itself  in  better  schools  and  brighter 
pupils  than  are  found  in  other  western  States, 
and  eventually  equal  the  best  to  be  found  in  the 
older  parts  of  the  country. 

Soon  after  my  appointment  I  received  a  let- 
ter from  Chancellor  Rev.  R.  W.  Oliver,  D.  D., 
asking  me  to  make  out  a  course  of  study  for  the 
new  University.  This  I  proceeded  to  do, 
modeling  it  after  the  classical  course  in  an 
eastern  college  thirty  years  ago,  with  no  pro- 
vision for  work  below  the  Freshman  class.  All 

(159) 


160  Reminiscences. 

preparatory  work  was  left  to  the  high  schools, 
for  it  seemed  to  me  a  fair  presumption,  that 
since  the  State  University  would  fall  heir  to  the 
pupils  of  the  "Lawrence  University,"  and  the 
public  schools  had  already  been  in  successful 
operation  for  several  years,  there  were,  prob- 
ably, a  few  college  students  and  a  great  many 
graduates  of  the  high  schools  eagerly  waiting 
an  opportunity  to  secure  that  higher  education 
which  the  State  was  in  duty  bound  to  give  them, 
and  which  it  could  only  offer  in  the  University. 
To  meet  this  clamorous  demand  the  University 
was  now  about  to  be  opened. 

Coining  to  Lawrence  early  in  September  of 
1866,  I  first  met  my  colleagues,  Professors 
Frank  Huntington  Snow  and  Elial  J.  Rice. 
Professor  Snow  and  I  were  young  men  but  re- 
cently out  of  college,  and  therefore  with  very  lit- 
tle experience  as  educators;  while  our  colleague 
was  a  gray-haired  man  of  much  experience, 
having  been  principal,  and  perhaps  superin- 
tendent of  schools,  of  some  town  in  Indiana. 
In  deference  to  his  gray  hair,  I  presume,  and 
wider  experience,  the  Regents  wisely  made  him 
the  "Acting  President  "of  the  new  University. 

Having  established  ourselves  in  an  excellent 
boarding  house  on  Kentucky  street,  conveniently 


Reminiscences.  161 

near  the  University,  Professor  Snow  and  I  started 
out  to  call  upon  our  worthy  Chancellor.  We 
desired  from  the  official  head  of  the  University 
definite  instructions  in  relation  to  opening  the 
institution  the  coining  week.  Greeting  us  very 
kindly  the  Chancellor  invited  us  to  his  study. 
The  air  was  thick  with  tobacco  smoke.  Regent 
Starrett  was  present,  smoking  a  pipe  with  a  stem 
about  six  feet  long.  Six  or  eight  similar  pipes 
and  a  large  pouch  of  tobacco  were  lying  on  the 
table.  The  men  were  evidently  "hail  fellows 
well  met,"  and  were  having  the  jolliest  kind  of 
a  time.  Our  coming  had  broken  off  one  of  Star- 
rett1 s  best  stories  —  and  he  could  tell  good  ones. 
Politely  declining  to  join  in  the  smoking,  farther 
than  was  absolutely  necessary,  we  tried  to  state 
our  business.  But  no;  that  interrupted  story 
must  first  be  finished.  It  was  a  good  story,  and 
so  well  told  that  we  had  to  have  another  to 
match  it.  The  fun  then  grew  fast,  if  not  furious, 
one  story  provoking  another  in  rapid  succession, 
and  the  air  all  the  time  growing  thicker  and 
bluer,  until  we,  poor  fellows,  half  sick,  finally  in- 
sisted that  we  could  stay  no  longer,  and  asked 
what  preparations  we  should  make  for  the  open- 
ing of  the  University.  I  think  we  expected,  in 
—11 


102  Reminiscences. 

rather  a  vague  way,  some  general  instructions 
about  the  reception  of  students  from  high  schools 
upon  examination,  and  from  other  institutions 
upon  certificates.  Our  genial  Chancellor,  after 
considering  a  moment,  kindly  gave  us  our  in- 
structions—  the  most  unique,  I  presume,  ever 
given  by  the  head  of  a  great  institution  to  his 
colleagues.  Speaking  with  a  strong  Scotch  ac- 
cent, which  I  shall  not  try  to  indicate,  he  said: 
"I  would  advise  you,  young  gentlemen,  to  go 
to  Mr.  Jaedicke's  gun  shop  and  hire  some  guns, 
and  to  Mr.  O' Conner's  livery  stable  and  hire 
some  saddle  horses,  and  go  away  back  on  the  hills 
and  hunt  prairie  chickens.  You  may  be  gone  two 
or  three  days.  This  will  be  as  good  preparation 
for  your  work  next  week  as  you  can  make." 
Saying  this  he  dismissed  us.  We  were  some- 
what surprised,  to  say  the  least.  This  advice, 
though  somewhat  congenial  to  our  inclinations, 
seemed,  however,  scarcely  to  fit  the  question. 
We  were  not  yet  sufficiently  experienced  in  Uni- 
versity work  to  see  the  relation  between  hunting 
prairie  chickens  arid  preparing  questions  for  en- 
trance examinations.  Bowing  to  our  Chancel- 
lor's wider  experience  we  took  our  departure, 
none  the  wiser. 


Reminiscences.  168 

After  talking  the  matter  over  we  concluded 
to  defer  the  hunt  for  a  few  days,  and  consult 
with  our  "Acting  President."  This  consulta- 
tion, however,  did  not  result  in  any  very  definite 
line  of  action.  We  found  our  President's  mind 
preoccupied  with  a  poem  he  was  preparing,  and 
which  he  hoped  to  be  invited  to  read  at  the 
formal  dedication  of  the  University  the  day  be- 
fore we  opened  for  students.  As  the  poem  was 
yet  unfinished,  and  its  reading  might  soon  be 
called  for,  we  could  not  think  of  interrupting  its 
laborious  construction  with  less  important  busi- 
ness, and  therefore  proposed  to  withdraw  at 
once.  But  no;  we  must  sit  down  and  he  would 
read  it  to  us.  It  concerned  the  University,  and 
he  wanted  our  opinion  of  its  merits.  So  we  sat 
down  and  he  read  as  far  as  he  had  written.  Its 
general  subject  seemed  to  be  the  progress  of 
education,  with  particular  reference  to  the  found- 
ing of  the  University  of  Kansas,  and  Quantrell's 
raid.  I  do  not  remember  what  opinion  we  ex- 
pressed of  its  merits,  but  it  made  quite  an  im- 
pression upon  us,  and  we  often  talked  about  it 
afterwards.  It  seemed  to  us  quite  a  unique  pro- 
duction. And  yet,  strange  as  it  may  appear, 
only  one  of  all  those  linked  couplets  still  lingers 


Reminiscences. 


in   ray  memory.       Speaking  of    the  murderous 
raid,  the  poet  said, 

"Then  ran  the  streets  with  patriots'  blood, 
Not  drop  by  drop,  but  in  a  flood." 

This  gem  I  shall  always  cherish  as  a  fitting 
memento  of  our  "Acting  President."  As  the 
program  for  the  dedication  was  already  full,  the 
poem  was  not  read,  and  hence,  I  fear,  has  not 
been  preserved. 

At  last  the  expected  morning  came,  Sept.  12th, 
1866.  The  faculty  were  all  present  early.  No 
one  else,  however,  came  for  some  time,  except 
two  or  three  noisy  carpenters,  who  were  at  work 
on  the  stairs.  Soon  a  few  boys  and  girls  from 
town  came  straggling  in,  and  after  a  while  a  few 
more.  Later  still  came  those  from  greater  dis- 
tances —  from  Grant,  Wakarusa,  Kanwaka,  and 
some,  I  think,  from  far-off  Palmyra  !  After  the 
devotional  exercises,  which  were  led  that  morn- 
ing by  Chancellor  Oliver,  the  students  were  sent 
around  to  the  several  professors  for  examination. 
Then  began  our  search  for  those  college  classes. 
Seniors  and  Juniors  were  given  up  at  the  first 
glance.  If  any  were  present,  they  were  surely 
in  deep  disguise.  For  the  student  look,  which 
comes  only  from  years  of  work  over  books,  was 


Reminiscences.  165 

not  there.  We  might  possibly  have  a  few  Soph- 
omores and  Freshmen,  but  appearances  were 
against  even  this.  I  began  my  examination. 
None  had  studied  Greek.  Six,  however,  wished 
to  begin.  So  that  subject  was  soon  disposed  of. 
In  Latin  I  fared  somewhat  better.  Six  or  eight 
had  a  slight  knowledge  of  the  Latin  grammar 
and  reader,  and  were  indifferently  prepared  to 
begin  the  study  of  Caesar.  Fifteen  or  twenty 
wished  to  begin  Latin.  The  examinations  in 
other  branches  showed  similar  lack  of  knowl- 
edge. We  had  examined,  in  all,  forty  students. 
As  the  net  result,  instead  of  the  expected  college 
classes,  we  had  a  few  candidates  for  the  lower 
forms  of  a  rather  indifferent  high  school.  What 
a  fall  from  our  high  expectations !  Still  some 
of  the  material  seemed  fairly  good,  and  we  hoped 
for  better  results  in  the  future.  We  now  saw 
the  wisdom,  the  true  inwardness,  as  it  were,  of 
our  Chancellor's  advice  about  hunting.  It  was 
now  clear  that  he  knew  the  kind  of  university 
we  were  about  to  open  far  better  than  we,  and 
that  hunting  chickens  was  quite  as  useful  a  prep- 
aration for  it  as  making  long  lists  of  examination 
questions  which  would  not  be  needed  for  years. 

ALMOST  A  PANIC. 

Work  began  promptly  and  ran  on  smoothly 
until  near  the  end  of  the  year,  when  a  strange 


1G6  Reminiscences. 

and,  to  us,  unaccountable  dropping  off  of  stu- 
dents began.  They  gradually  disappeared,  one 
after  another,  without  sign  or  warning,  until  by 
the  middle  of  April  more  than  half  of  our  entire 
number  was  gone.  Becoming  alarmed  lest  they 
should  all  leave  us,  and  we  be  reduced  to  the 
shameful  necessity  of  closing  the  school  before 
the  end  of  the  year,  Professor  Snow  and  I  began 
to  investigate  the  cause  of  this  strange  hegira. 
We  found  that,  spring  work  having  opened,  most 
of  our  brawny  students  had  gone  home  to  assist  on 
the  farms,  and  that  several  in  the  city,  suffering 
from  the  unusual  strain  of  head-work,  were  down 
with  the  "spring-fever,"  almost  hopeless  cases. 

It  was  evident  that  something  must  be  done 
or  the  University  would  be  disgraced.  A  con- 
sultation was  held,  the  result  of  which  was  that, 
by  much  visiting  and  earnest  missionary  work 
among  our  patrons,  and  strong  personal  appeals 
to  our  pupils,  we  finally  averted  the  threatened 
disgrace  of  abandonment,  and  closed  our  first 
year  triumphantly  with  twenty-two  students  ! 

Had  our  University  yell  been  then  invented,  I 
have  no  doubt  that  Professor  Snow  and  I  would 
have  shouted  loud  and  long  "Kock  Chalk,  Jay 
Hawk,  K.  U.!" 


Reminiscences,  1G7 

THE  UNIVERSITY  IN  EARLY  LEGISLATURES. 

From  our  first  year's  experience  we  were  pre- 
pared, and,  indeed,  rather  expected,  to  hear  peo- 
ple say  that  the  University  was  only  a  "Law- 
rence high  school,"  but  this,  of  course,  we 
stoutly  denied.  To  the  superficial  observer,  it 
might,  indeed,  appear  so ;  but  not  to  the  man 
who  was  accustomed  to  look  beneath  the  sur- 
face of  things.  To  see  the  real  University,  with 
its  many  departments,  of  literature,  science  and 
the  arts,  its  extensive  cabinets,  museums,  labora- 
tories, libraries  and  work  shops,  its  hundreds  of 
professors  and  thousands  of  students,  one  must 
take  a  deep  esoteric  view.  It  seemed  complete 
in  all  its  parts,  but  in  somewhat  embryonic  form. 
As  the  most  perfect  forms  of  animate  life  now 
in  existence  doubtless  once  lay  dormant  in  the 
rudest  germs,  so  to  us  the  University  then  lay 
dormant  in  the  creative  act  of  the  Legislature, 
scarcely  yet  in  the  first  stage  of  its  endless  de- 
velopment. Closing  our  eyes  to  the  meager 
present,  and  looking  far  down  the  glorious  future, 
we  had  a  dim  vision  of  the  real  University,  with 
a  few  of  its  many  possibilities  partially  unfolded. 
Thus  seen  it  was  a  great  institution,  just  as  the 
few  patent  office  reports  then  on  our  shelves 


168  Reminiscences. 

were  the  "nucleus  of  a  large  and  valuable  li- 
brary. ' ' 

Thus  did  we  easily  prove,  to  ourselves  at  least, 
the  existence  of  the  University;  but  it  was  not 
so  easy  to  prove  this  to  our  enemies,  who  refused 
to  look  at  the  matter  from  our  point  of  view. 
Even  our  high  courses  of  study  did  not  convince 
them.  At  these  they  only  laughed,  and  said 
that  they  knew  a  high  school  when  they  saw 
one,  and  we  had  nothing  more.  Convinced  that 
we  were  right,  we  should  not  have  cared  much 
for  the  opinions  of  these  men  had  not  some  of 
them  soon  turned  up  as  members  of  the  Legis- 
lature. Here  they  soon  became  very  annoying. 
This  was  especially  true  for  the  first  seven  or 
eight  years.  Every  winter  some  economic  Solon, 
raised  to  influence  by  brief  office  only,  used  to 
assail  and  sometimes  even  endanger  our  meager 
appropriation  by  calling  the  University  a  "little 
Lawrence  high  school."  Such  attacks  were 
numerous,  and  of  varying  degrees  of  virulence. 
The  most  outrageous  of  all,  however,  was  prob- 
ably the  one  made  by  a  member  from  Johnson 
county,  who  wound  up  a  long  and  abusive  tirade 
against  the  needless  expense  of  maintaining  so 
useless  an  institution  by  the  astounding  assertion 
that  it  had  eight  or  ten  times  as  many  professors 


Reminiscences.  1  69 

as  were  necessary,  and  that  he  knew  "one  man, 
a  friend  of  his,  who,  with  the  aid  of  his  wife, 
would  undertake  to  teach  everything  now  taught 
there,  and  do  it  better  than  at  present,  for  the 
small  sum  of  five  hundred  dollars  a  year!" 
This  was  cheap  enough,  surely,  but,  strange  as 
it  may  appear,  the  offer  was  not  accepted.  Per- 
haps the  rest  of  the  members  thought  it  too  cheap. 
But  even  this  man  afterwards  repented,  and  did 
us  valiant  service  in  succeeding  Legislatures. 

In  the  same  Legislature,  I  think,  another 
member,  in  a  similar  spirit  of  economy,  but  in  a 
somewhat  more  jocular  vein,  declared  that  the 
University,  with  its  large  corps  of  professors  and 
small  body  of  college  students,  reminded  him  of 
a  "six-mule  team  hitched  to  a  buggy." 

During  the  third  winter,  in  a  spasm  of  great 
economy,  the  Legislature  threatened  to  reduce 
greatly,  or  even  to  cut  off  our  appropriations 
altogether.  Disaster,  on  this  occasion,  was  only 
averted  by  inviting  the  entire  Legislature  to  visit 
us  in  a  body,  and  tendering  them  a  generous 
feed  at  the  Eldridge  House.  This  was  managed 
by  the  citizens  of  Lawrence.  Many  of  the  mem- 
bers came,  inspected  the  University,  ate  our 
supper,  returned  mollified,  and  gave  us  what  we 
needed. 


170  Reminiscences. 

On  another  occasion  of  financial  stress,  the 
Legislature  closed  all  the  normal  schools  of  the 
State,  three  in  number,  but,  for  some  reason, 
spared  the  University.  This,  if  I  remember,  was 
in  the  winter  of  1874-75,  the  year  of  the  great 
grasshopper  invasion.  The  University  was  prob- 
ably then  spared  only  because  it  had  already  be- 
gun in  large  measure  to  prove  its  usefulness. 
Since  then  it  has  generally  been  very  kindly 
treated.  The  people,  as  a  whole,  appear  to  take 
an  increasing  interest  in  the  institution,  and  seem 
disposed  cheerfully  to  grant  all  needed  facilities 
for  the  better  education  of  their  children. 

GENERAL  JOHN  FRASER,  A.  M. 

At  the  end  of  the  first  year  the  University 
lost  its  official  head  by  the  resignation  of  our 
"Acting  President."  Professor  John  W.  Hor- 
ner  was  appointed  to  the  vacant  chair,  but  not 
to  the  official  position  of  the  retiring  officer. 

The  University  was  quite  as  active  in  its 
acephalous  condition  as  it  had  been  before,  for, 
aided  by  our  worthy  Chancellor,  who  had  now 
given  up  his  long  pipes,  but  not  his  funny  stories, 
the  several  professors,  each  feeling  a  deeper 
sense  of  responsibility,  worked  harder  for  the 
success  of  the  institution.  Thus  we  ran  on 


Reminiscences.  171 

smoothly  without  a  head  to  the  middle  of  the 
academic  year;  but  this  condition  was  not  nor- 
mal. The  Regents  began  to  realize  it,  and, 
uniting  the  offices  of  Chancellor  and  President, 
resolved  to  give  the  University  a  real,  substan- 
tial head —  perhaps  a  big  head.  After  much 
careful  canvassing,  General  John  Fraser,  A.  M. , 
was  selected  for  this  responsible  position.  The 
wisdom  of  this  selection  was  fully  justified  by 
the  results. 

General  Fraser  was  a  man  of  unusual  ability 
and  force  of  character.  Educated  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Edinburgh,  he  naturally  brought  with 
him  the  methods  of  teaching  which  he  had  seen 
so  successfully  practiced  there.  But  the  condi- 
tions here  were  so  entirely  different  from  those 
to  which  he  had  been  accustomed  that  his  suc- 
cess as  a  teacher  in  the  University  of  Kansas 
was  very  small.  Yet  this  made  very  little  differ- 
ence, for  he  was  not  expected  to  do  much  teach- 
ing. In  fact,  he  was  not  employed  for  this.  His 
great  strength  lay  in  planning,  organizing  and 
building.  To  conceive  the  purpose,  organize 
the  plan,  and  persuade  a  little  city  like  ours  to 
vote  $100,000  for  a  University  building,  and. 
carry  all  through  to  a  successful  conclusion,  show 
wisdom,  courage  and  energy  of  the  very  highest 


172  Reminiscences. 

order.  In  this  work  he  was  most  successful, 
and  our  Main  Building  is  his  fitting  monument. 
All  honor  to  the  noble  work  of  General  John 
Fraser,  the  first  Chancellor  and  President  of 
Kansas  University  ! 

DISCIPLINE. 

Discipline,  during  our  high  school  days,  was 
maintained  with  a  vigorous  hand.  Knowing 
that  eternal  vigilance  prevents  a  multitude  of 
sins,  we  resolved  that  the  sly  student  should 
never  catch  us  napping,  nor  the  remiss  and  lazy 
find  us  over  indulgent.  We  guarded  our  weak 
points,  therefore,  with  great  strictness.  For  in- 
stance, having  been  nearly  disgraced  the  first 
year  by  the  sudden  withdrawal  of  our  students, 
we  cunningly  guarded  that  point  for  the  future 
by  placing  in  our  catalogue  the  following  severe 
enactment:  ' '  Students  must  be  prompt  in  attend- 
ance at  the  opening  of  the  term,  and  continue  to 
tJie  end  of  the  same,  and  must  not  absent  them- 
selves from  town  without  permission  from  the 
President."  Having  once  secured  them,  we 
fenced  them  in  by  law,  and  did  not  propose  to 
let  them  even  get  out  of  town  without  express 
permission.  We  should  thus  be  able  to  keep  a 
few  in  sight,  at  least,  until  the  end  of  the  year. 


Reminiscences.  173 

And  the  event  seemed  to  justify  the  rule,  for  we 
never  thereafter  had  any  trouble  about  keeping 
a  part  of  our  students  to  the  end  of  the  second 
term. 

Again,  see  how  the  following  rule  puts  to 
shame  all  our  modern  legislation  on  the  same 
subject:  "Students  must  present  satisfactory 
excuses  for  ever}7  absence  from  any  class  or  duty, 
before  they  will  be  permitted  to  resume  their 
places  in  the  college."  There  is  strictness  for 
you !  A  student  was  sent  out  of  college  for  a 
single  absence,  and  a  professor  might  keep  him 
out  forever  by  not  accepting  his  excuse !  Per- 
haps, however,  this  was  intended  to  be  understoop 
in  a  somewhat  Pickwickian  sense,  inasmuch  as 
we  added  another  rule  just  below,  stating  that 
"any  student  having  ten  unexcused  absences 
ceased  to  be  a  member  of  the  University."  Just 
what  peculiar  construction  we  placed  upon  these 
rules,  that  both  should  seem  necessary  in  the 
same  catalogue,  I  do  not  now  remember.  For 
if  a  student  was  out  of  college  for  one  absence 
and  "not  permitted  to  return,"  it  is  difficult  to 
see  how  ten  absences  could  do  more.  Or  would 
they  put  him  out  ten  times  as  far?  But  I  give 
it  up,  and  leave  the  explanation  to  some  old 
student  on  whom  it  was  tried.  Who  will  answer? 


Reminiscences. 


These  are  samples  of  our  rules.  There  were 
several  others  of  similar  strictness.  One  illus- 
tration of  the  vigor  with  which  they  were  applied 
to  practice  will  probably  be  sufficient. 

One  morning  at  chapel,  after  Professsr  Snow 
had  called  the  roll,  which  required  every  student 
to  be  present  every  morning  and  respond  to  the 
call  —  the  professors  were  then  always  present  — 
Professor  Homer  read  off  the  names  of  the  delin- 
quents who  had  failed  to  hand  in  their  essays  at 
the  appointed  date,  and  commanded  each  delin- 
quent, as  his  name  was  read,  to  leave  the  chapel 
and  go  down  to  a  certain  room  and  there  wait 
to  be  sentenced.  Several  names  had  been 
read,  and  the  culprits  had  gone,  but  pretty  soon 
one  was  called  who  refused  to  obey.  The  pro- 
fessor looked  stern,  turned  red  in  the  face,  rose 
up  and  shouted,  "Leave  the  room."  The 
young  man  looked  defiant,  and  sat  still.  Down 
from  the  platform  rushed  the  irate  professor, 
seized  the  refractory  youth  by  the  collar,  jerked 
him  from  his  seat,  and  pushing  with  hands 
and  knees,  was  forcibly  ejecting  him  from  the 
room,  when  Professor  Snow,  starting  up,  called 
out  sharply,  "Stop,  Professor  Homer!  That  is 
not  the  way  to  administer  discipline!"  The 
professor  desisted,  we  returned  to  our  places, 


Reminiscences.  175 

and  quiet  was  soon  restored.  Devotional  ex- 
ercises now  being  ended,  we  retired  to  our  class 
rooms. 

Such  was  discipline  in  the  early  days.  We 
have  nothing  now  to  compare  with  it.  Now, 
thirty  to  .forty  professors  will  often  deliberate 
weeks  over  some  worthless  fellow  and  probably 
not  do  as  much  in  all  that  time  as  one  man  then 
would  do  in  five  minutes. 

Is  not  some  of  that  masculine  vigor  desir- 
able? 

COLLEGE  JOKES. 

From  time  immemorial  college  students  every- 
where have  occasionally  been  inclined  to  practi- 
cal jokes.  Our  University  has  had  its  share ; 
but  of  the  many  that  might  be  told,  I  have  space 
for  but  few. 

Jokes  in  which  skeletons  are  made  to  play  a 
prominent  part  have  always  been  great  favorites 
with  students.  The  best  one  of  this  kind  ever 
tried  here  was  furbished  up  for  use  on  the  oc- 
casion of  our  first  commencement,  at  the  close 
of  General  Fraser's  administration.  This  was 
in  the  summer  of  1873.  We  had  moved  over 
into  our  new  building  the  previous  autumn. 
The  south  wing  and  main  hall  were  yet  unfin- 
ished. The  hall  was  a  great  barn-like  place, 


176  Reminiscences. 

with  roughly  plastered  walls,  windows  mostly 
closed  with  old  boards,  floor  level  and  unseated, 
and  a  round  hole  about  eight  feet  across  in  the 
center  of  the  ceiling.  It  was  a  very  unattract- 
ive place,  and  yet  the  best  we  had  in  which  to 
hold  commencement  exercises.  A  temporary 
platform  was  erected  on  the  south  side  of  the 
hall,  and  gaily  decorated  with  flags,  flowers  and 
evergreens.  The  place  was  crowded  with  peo- 
ple, and  even  standing  room  was  at  a  premium. 
In  the  midst  of  the  exercises,  just  after  some 
very  impressive  performance,  while  the  full  band 
was  playing,  there  slowly  descended  from  the 
dark  hole  in  the  ceiling  a  ghastly,  grinning  skele- 
ton, shaking  his  clattering  bones,  and  executing 
a  sort  of  ghost  dance  just  over  the  heads  of  the 
people,  wearing  on  his  big  toe  a  paper  inscribed 
with  the  legend  "Prex"  —only  this  and  nothing 
more  !  Then  for  a  time  there  was  great  commo- 
tion, and  a  rush  was  made  by  several  of  the  pro- 
fessors to  discover  the  perpetrators  of  the  joke. 
But  no  one  was  caught.  The  only  clew  ever 
found  was  a  rope  hanging  in  an  air  shaft,  and  a 
blue  necktie  at  the  foot  of  the  shaft.  The  tie 
was  kept  a  long  time  in  the  office  waiting  for  an 
owner,  but  no  one  ever  came  to  claim  it;  and  so, 
whether  it  belonged  to  some  student,  or  whether 


Reminiscences,  177 

the  skeleton  lost  it  while  climbing  the  rope,  will 
probably  always  remain  a  mystery  —  unless,  in- 
deed, a  certain  student  now  living  in  Kansas  City 
shall  consent  to  give  us  further  information.  As 
soon  as  quiet  was  partially  restored,  the  Presi- 
dent's young  wife,  turning  to  her  husband,  asked, 
"What  does  'Prex'  mean?"  "The  faculty," 
he  quickly  answered. 

Thus  was  played  with  us  the  skeleton  act, 
which,  with  some  slight  variation  perhaps,  is  still 
traveling  on  its  dreary  round. 

Other  jokes  equally  gray  have  also  often 
shaken  our  students'  sides  with  laughter.  Toss- 
ing victims  in  blankets,  and  breaking  their  bones 
by  the  fall;  sliding  them  down  inclined  planes 
into  water  tanks;  suspending  them  from  win- 
dows, sending  them  on  snipe  hunts  at  night, 
pelting  them  with  eggs,  ripe  and  unripe,  and 
then  washing  them  clean  under  the  pump; — 
these,  and  many  other  practical  jokes  equally 
hoary,  still  furnish  material  for  many  an  initia- 
tion, mock  or  real,  from  year  to  year. 

Some    jokes,   however,  were    quite    local    in 
many  of  their  features,  and,  for  this  reason,  may 
perhaps  be  worth  the  telling.      This,  I  think,  is 
true  of  the  following: 
—12 


178  Reminiscences. 

Soon  after  the  first  Greek  letter  society  was 
established  here,  and  the  boys  were  flourishing 
their  new  badges  quite  conspicuously,  suddenly 
another  society  seemed  to  "break  out"  with 
much  larger  and  more  conspicuous  badges,  con- 
sisting of  the  mysterious  device,  "T.  C. ," 
wrought  out  of  bright  new  tin.  These  letters 
were  about  two  inches  long.  There  was  much 
speculation  as  to  the  meaning  of  this  strange 
device.  Some  thought  it  was  intended  only  to 
ridicule  the  Greeks;  others  thought  the  letters 
concealed  mysteries  of  dark  and  fearful  import. 

But  of  the  real  meaning  of  the  device,  when 
or  where  the  society  met,  or  what  was  done  at 
the  meetings,  no  one,  for  a  long  time,  seemed 
to  have  the  least  conception.  Curiosity  being 
deeply  aroused,  a  close  watch  was  kept  upon  the 
movements  of  the  members.  It  was  at  last  as- 
certained that  the  society  had  no  regular  time 
nor  place  for  meeting,  but  assembled  usually  on 
dark  nights  at  no  inconvenient  distance  from 
some  nice  turkey  roost.  Feathers,  broken  bot- 
tles, paper  bags,  scattered  arcund  a  few  fire 
brands,  sometimes  gave  a  slight  clue  to  the  na- 
ture of  the  festivities.  Turkeys  were  missed  in 
various  localities,  but  no  one  seemed  to  know 
where  they  had  gone.  Thus  the  matter  ran  on, 


Reminiscences.  179 

until,  in  an  unlucky  hour,  the  boys  raided  the 
poultry  yard  of  Judge  Nelson  Stephens.  But 
the  judge  was  no  man  to  be  trifled  with.  Pos- 
sessing a  rare  knowledge  of  human  nature,  and 
great  skill  in  detecting  the  wily  ways  of  crooked 
men,  lie  soon  found  out  who  the  rogues  were, 
and  resolved  to  punish  them  in  his  own  peculiar 
way. 

Without  mentioning  his  discovery  to  any  one 
but  the  members  of  his  own  family,  he  politely 
invited  all  the  "T.  C.'s"  to  supper. 

They  were  delighted  at  the  invitation.  The 
judge  received  them  with  unusual  kindness,  if 
that  were  possible,  and  kept  them  in  a  roar  with 
funny  stories  until  supper  was  announced.  The 
boys  had  never  had  so  good  a  time  before  in  all 
their  lives.  Still  shaking  with  laughter  they 
were  shown  into  the  dining  room,  and  assigned 
their  places.  On  the  plate  of  each  "T.  C."  was 
a  huge  turkey.  Asking  his  guests  to  help  them- 
selves, the  judge  went  on  with  his  funny  stories, 
as  if  he  was  always  accustomed  to  give  each 
guest  a  whole  turkey.  The  boys  could  neither 
eat  nor  listen.  They  were  in  torture.  But  the 
judge,  too  polite  to  notice  their  embarrassment, 
simply  urged  them  to  eat,  now  and  then,  and  kept 
on  with  his  stories.  Thus  did  he  roast  those  boys 


180  Reminiscences. 

as  thoroughly  as  ever  they  had  roasted  his  tur- 
keys. At  list,  when  he  thought  the  roasting 
done,  he  politely  dismissed  them,  the  most  dis- 
consolate set  of  fellows  that  ever  raided  a  turkey 
roost.  This  broke  up  the  society,  and  the  "Tur- 
key Catchers"  disbanded,  and  their  badges  were 
seen  no  more. 

By  this  little  experience  the  boys  had  been 
severely  scorched,  but  their  love  for  practical 
joking  had  by  no  means  been  eradicated.  A 
new  temptation  for  them  came  as  follows: 

The  women's  temperance  crusade  was  being 
prosecuted  in  the  city  with  great  vigor.  The 
crusaders  held  all-day  meetings  in  nearly  every 
drinking  place  in  the  city.  The  saloons  were 
literally  l'sat  down  upon,"  and  their  owners 
urged  and  implored  to  give  up  their  nefarious 
business  and  sign  the  pledge.  The  University 
was  also  invaded,  and  the  pledge  passed  around. 
Many  signed  as  requested,  and  among  others 
several  professors.  One  of  these  professors  hap- 
pened to  have  in  his  cellar  at  the  time  a  few 
bottles  of  home-made  wine,  for  use  in  sickness. 
This  fact  became  known,  in  some  manner,  to 
these  practical  jokers.  Their  old  ardor  seized 
them  at  once,  and  they  fairly  burned  to  get  hold 
of  those  bottles.  It  would  be  the  best  joke  of 


Reminiscences.  181 

their  lives.  Thus  thinking,  they  formed  their 
plan. 

A  few  evenings  later  two  of  them  called  at 
the  professor's  house.  They  seemed  in  espe- 
cially happy  mood,  telling  stories,  joking,  and 
laughing  almost  immoderately.  Finally  one  of 
them,  producing  some  music,  offered  to  play  it. 
With  a  big  crash,  he  began,  and  such  playing ! 
He  ran,  and  galloped,  and  cantered,  and  jumped 
up  and  down  the  keyboard  until  the  old  house 
fairly  rattled  from  chimney  top  to  cellar  —  espe- 
cially the  cellar.  Then  college  songs  were  roared 
with  equal  force  and  energy.  This  went  on  an 
hour  or  two,  when  the  guests  withdrew,  with 
many  expressions  of  pleasure  at  the  delightful 
evening  they  had  passed,  promising  to  call  soon 
again.  The  professor  and  his  wife  were  a  little 
surprised  at  the  call  of  these  young  men,  who 
had  never  called  before,  and  especially  at  their 
rather  long  stay  and  boisterous  conduct.  But 
still  they  were  glad  to  have  received  the  visit, 
and  retired  greatly  pleased  to  think  that  these 
"T.  C.'s,"  lately  so  wild,  were  now  disposed  to 
give  up  their  disreputable  practices,  and  culti- 
vate the  graces  and  amenities  of  social  life. 

In  the  morning,  on  opening  the  house,  many 
evidences  of  burglary  were  plainly  visible  —  in 


182  Reminiscences. 

fact,  too  plainly  visible.  The  hoe  and  ax  and 
pieces  of  candles  were  left  near  the  cellar  win- 
dows, in  plain  sight,  as  if  courting  an  investiga- 
tion. It  was  soon  found  that  the  cellar  had 
been  entered,  the  wine  taken,  and  the  following 
note  left  in  its  place: 

"Dtar  Professor — Inasmuch  as  yon  have  signed  the 
pledge,  and  therefore  can  neither  drink  this  wine  yourself, 
nor  sell  it,  nor  give  it  away,  as  that  would  be  abetting  the 
great  evil,  we  have  concluded  to  take  it,  and  thus  relieve  you 
from  all  temptation.  Yours  truly,  CKUSADEKS." 

The  professor,  for  obvious  reasons,  never  men- 
tioned his  loss,  but  the  boys  thought  it  too  good 
a  joke  to  keep,  and  so,  whispering  it  around 
among  their  friends,  it  soon  became  a  well-known 

story. 

THE    FORGED    TELEGRAM. 

If  any  of  the  participants  in  this  joke  still 
feel  sensitive  over  it,  I  shall  beg  their  pardon  in 
advance,  and  then  go  on  with  my  story.  For  a 
sketch  of  University  jokes  with  this  one  omitted 
would  be  like  "Hamlet"  with  Hamlet  left  out. 

One  morning,  about  ten  years  ago,  when  Dr. 
Marvin  was  on  his  way  to  the  University,  a  mes- 
senger boy  gave  him  a  telegram  containing  the 
startling  information  that  Regent  F.  T.  Ingalls, 
of  Atchison,  had  suddenly  died  the  day  before, 
of  heart  disease,  and  would  be  buried  on  the 


Reminiscences.  ,    183 

following  day.  The  dispatch  purported  to  be 
sent  by  John  A.  Martin.  Greatly  shocked,  the 
doctor  hurried  to  the  University,  and  told  the 
sad  news  to  the  faculty.  All  were  equally 
shocked.  After  prayers  the  doctor,  in  a  few 
very  feeling  words,  communicated  our  sad  loss 
to  the  assembled  students,  and  informed  them 
that  ceremonies  appropriate  to  the  occasion 
would  be  held  in  chapel  on  the  following  morn- 
ing. Two  members  of  the  faculty,  who  had 
been  in  college  with  the  departed  Regent,  were 
selected  to  deliver  memorial  addresses.  Further 
information  by  letter  or  telegram  was  expected 
that  day,  confirming  or  denying  the  report,  but 
as  nothing  came  it  was  accepted  as  true,  and 
the  professors  appointed  spent  a  large  part  of 
the  night  preparing  for  the  ceremonies  of  the 
morning. 

In  the  meantime  Dr.  Marvin  and  Regents  B. 
W.  Woodward  and  Rev.  A.  Beatty,  impelled  by 
a  deep  sense  of  duty,  and  with  saddened  hearts, 
had  gone  to  Atchison  to  attend  the  funeral, 
which  was  to  be  conducted  next  morning.  Ar- 
riving in  town,  they  began  to  inquire  the  par- 
ticulars concerning  the  sad  event.  As  bad  luck 
would  have  it,  they  chanced  upon  the  one  man 
of  all  others  best  calculated  to  deceive  them  — 


184  Reminiscences, 

the  fellow  found  in  nearly  every  town  who  will 
never  admit  that  there  is  anything  which  he 
does  not  know !  He  knew  everything  they 
asked,  of  course. 

"The  death  of  Ingalls?  Oh,  yes;  it  was  very 
sudden.  The  Senator  was "  "But  we  don't 
mean  the  Senator;  we  mean  his  brother,  F.  T. 
Ingalls, "  said  they.  "Of  course,"  said  he,  "a 
very  fine  man,  too,  and  one  who  will  be  greatly 
missed;  died  suddenly  in  .the  street,  of  heart 
disease;  funeral  to-morrow  at  11  o'clock,  under 
direction  of  John  A.  Martin.  You'll  find  Mar- 
tin at  his  office.  Go  and  see  him;  he'll  tell 
all  about  it."  So  they  went  to  see  Mr.  Martin. 
Feeling  sure  now  that  he  will  understand  them, 
they  inquire  at  once  what  arrangements  have 
been  made  for  the  funeral.  "Funeral!"  said 
he,  "what  funeral?  There  is  nobody  dead,  as 
far  as  I  know.  What  are  you  talking  about?" 
"Rev.  F.  T.  Ingalls'  funeral,"  they  replied; 
"did  you  not  send  us  a  telegram  this  morning 
announcing  his  sudden  death  yesterday?  We 
have  come  to  attend  his  funeral."  "No,"  he 
replied;  "I  sent  no  such  telegram;  somebody 
lias  fooled  you.  Ingalls  is  as  well  as  ever,  and 
is  at  a  church  social  now." 

Greatly  surprised,  and  scarcely  knowing  what 


Reminiscences.  185 

to  do  next,  they  finally  concluded  to  send  a  tele- 
gram to  the  University  immediately,  in  order  to 
prevent  the  delivery  of  those  memorial  addresses 
in  the  morning,  and  return  home  as  quietly  as 
possible  on  the  first  freight  train.  They  sent  the 
telegram,  and  then  sat  down  to  wait  for  the  train. 
Though  sent  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  this 
telegram,  through  some  strange  mishap,  was  not 
delivered  until  after  nine  o'clock  the  next  morn- 
ing. It  was  then  too  late.  The  chapel  door 
was  closed  and  the  addresses  were  being  deliv- 
sered.  A  solemn  silence  pervaded  the  room, 
broken  only  by  the  eloquent  pathos  of  the  speak- 
ers, as  they  portrayed  in  glowing  language  the 
noble  life  and  character  of  the  departed. 

At  last,  when  all  was  over,  and  we  were  slowly 
leaving  the  hall,  the  belated  telegram  was  handed 
us,  announcing  that  the  whole  matter  had  been 
a  hoax  from  beginning  to  end.  What  a  sudden 
revulsion  of  feeling !  How  quick  the  change 
from  grief  to  indignation  at  finding  ourselves 
the  victims  of  so  cruel  a  hoax.  It  was  immedi- 
ately decided  that  the  perpetrators  must  not  be 
allowed  to  go  unpunished.  They  were  soon 
sought  out  and  punished  with  suspension  for  the 
remainder  of  the  year.  One  of  these  young 
men  returned  to  the  University  and  finished  his 


186  Reminiscences. 

course.  The  other  never  returned.  Both  are 
now  successful  lawyers,  one  in  Kansas  City,  the 
other  in  New  York. 

EVIDENCES  OF  GROWTH. 

The  second  catalogue  of  the  University  gives 
evidence  of  considerable  growth.  We  had  two 
college  classes  that  year,  Henrietta  P.  Beach, 
of  Olathe,  constituting  the  Junior  class,  and 
Lucie  A.  Carruth,  of  Lawrence,  the  Freshman 
class.  Having  gained  these  two  classes,  we  felt 
so  elated  that  we  informed  the  public  of  our 
purpose  "not  to  make  the  preparatory  course 
a  permanent  feature  of  the  University!"  Yet 
one  of  the  professors,  having,  after  all,  but  little 
confidence  in  the  rapid  increase  of  high-class 
scholars,  thought  it  wise  policy  to  attach  this 
junior  class  as  firmly  to  the  institution  as  possible, 
at  least  until  she  became  a  senior.  This  was 
finally  done,  and  the  junior  class  of  1867-8  is 
still  strongly  attached  to  the  University,  and 
slowly  becoming  a  senior. 

By  the  addition  of  several  new  instructors 
we  were  now  prepared  not  only  to  offer  French 
in  our  course,  but  also  to  teach  it.  The  first 
year,  instead  of  teaching  this  language,  we  starred 
Greek,  calling  attention  to  the  following  foot 


Reminiscences.  187 

note:  ' '  Young  ladies  who  desire  can  take  French 
instead  of  Greek,  although  it  is  earnestly  recom- 
mended that  all  should  pursue  the  Greek."  This 
was  our  first  French  course.  German  was  only 
offered  in  advanced  courses  in  which  we  knew 
there  would  be  no  students.  No  course  in  mu- 
sic was  offered  or  organized.  The  instructor 
was  simply  endorsed  by  the  Regents  as  compe- 
tent, and  given  permission  to  teach  such  students 
as  desired  and  would  pay  for  his  services.  He 
was  always  a  sort  of  free  lance,  doing  about  as 
he  pleased,  and  making  whatever  he  could.  And 
yet  he  was  expected,  and  sometimes  required,  to 
grade  the  work  of  his  pupils,  and  hand  in  reports 
to  the  Secretary  for  permanent  record.  Profes- 
sor J.  E.  Bartlett  once  handed  in  his  report,  with 
the  following  explanation:  "I  grade  on  the  basis 
of  100.  You  will  observe  that  two  pupils  are 
each  marked  125.  They  were  so  very  good  that 
I  had  to  give  them  that  high  grade  ! ' '  This  will 
indicate  the  "happy-go-lucky"  character  of  the 
Music  Department  before  the  appointment  of 
Professor  Wm.  MacDonald.  It  was  organized 
by  this  professor,  and  placed  somewhat  in  touch 
with  the  rest  of  the  institution. 


188  Reminiscences. 


A  FEW  INCIDENTS  IN  THE  WORK  OF  A  NATUR- 
ALIST. 

Our  learned  Professor  of  Natural  History, 
who  has  now  achieved  more  than  a  national  rep- 
utation in  his  special  lines  of  work,  came  to  the 
University  with  the  expressed  desire  of  teaching 
the  Greek  language  and  literature.  To  this  end, 
more  perhaps  than  to  any  other,  had  tended  all 
his  previous  training.  A  severe  classical  course 
in  college,  with  special  attention  to  Greek,  and 
a  three  years1  course  in  Andover  Theological  Sem- 
inary, with  critical  study  of  Greek  and  Hebrew, 
had  given  him  especial  fondness  and  capacity  for 

linguistic  studies. 

.  ,  * 

His  knowledge  of  the  natural  sciences,  on  the 

other  hand,  was  mostly  negative  —  on4y  the 
smattering  that  was  then  taught  in  the  New 
England  classical  college  —  just  enough  to  make 
the  "darkness  visible."  He  brought  to  the 
duties  of  his  professorship,  therefore,  no  special 
training  in  science,  but  only  the  natural  endow- 
ments of  a  sound,  vigorous  mind,  sharpened  by 
classical  studies,  keen  powers  of  observation,  a 
passion  for  knowledge,  untiring  energy,  and 
boundless  capacity  for  hard  work. 

Thus  equipped  he  was  elected  professor,  and 


Reminiscences.  189 

spread  over  the  already  broad,  and  constantly 
widening  chair  of  ''Mathematics  and  the  Natural 
Sciences"  —a  place  now  occupied  by  seventeen 
instructors,  and  which  will  soon  require  several 
more.  No  wonder  Professor  Snow  is  a  very 
broad  man.  The  necessity  of  trying  to  cover 
an  ever-expanding  chair  like  that  would  be  apt 
to  broaden  even  a  less  elastic  man. 

Soon  after  his  appointment  the  professor  pre- 
pared for  the  catalogue  and  future  students  a  full 
scientific  course.  This  was  to  be,  as  far  as  pos- 
sible, a  practical  course,  to  be  wrought  out 
rather  -in  the  field  and  laboratory,  than  from 
books.  The  statements  of  authors  were  to  be 
proved,  wherever  practicable,  by  experimental 
observations.  It  was  also  hoped  that,  by  this 
practical  work  in  so  fresh  a  field,  a  few  addi- 
tions, at  least,  might  be  made  to  the  knowledge 
of  natural  history.  Having  thus  laid  out  his 
plans,  he  set  about  their  realization  with  charac- 
teristic energy. 

The  first  scientific  excursion  ever  undertaken 
by  the  University  of  Kansas  was  made  on  Fri- 
day afternoon,  September  14,  1866.  The  entire 
faculty  went  in  a  body  on  horseback  —  not  on 
one  horse  —  up  the  river  to  Cameron's  bluff,  to 
see  some  petrified  turtles  which  somebody  had 


190  Reminiscences. 

told  us  were  to  be  found  there !  I  do  not  re- 
member whether  Professor  Snow  brought  back 
any  of  those  turtles  or  not;  but  I  do  remember 
that  he  and  I  rode  so  hard,  and  acted  so  much 
like  boys,  that  we  quite  shocked  our  venerable 
President,  who  never  thereafter  could  be  in- 
duced to  ride  with  us. 

This  excursion  is  a  fair  indication  of  the  con- 
dition of  science  in  the  institution  at  that  period. 

Peculiar  accidents  sometimes  occurred  to 
mar  the  most  perfect  success.  Once,  after  the 
professor  had  crawled  a  long  distance  over  a 
muddy  sand-bar,  and  had  come  within  easy 
range  of  some  fine  specimens,  taking  deliberate 
aim,  he  fired  and  blew  off  the  end  of  his  gun 
barrel.  He  had  filled  it  with  sand  while  stalk- 
ing his  game. 

On  another  occasion,  while  walking  along  the 
river  bank  with  some  farmer  friends,  and  famil- 
iarly discussing  the  destructive  habits  of  Calopte- 
nus  spretus,  Blissus  faicopterus,  and  Cecidomyia 
destructor,  wholly  absorbed  in  these  interesting 
topics,  he  casually  noticed  a  big  bunch  of 
feathers  washed  up  on  the  shore,  and  stepped 
up  to  tip  it  over  with  his  gun.  All  at  once  the 
bunch  became  animated,  and,  much  to  his  sur- 
prise, a  long  desired  specimen  of  Anser  Cana- 


Reminiscences.  191 

dens  is  slowly  withdrew  his  sleepy  head  from 
under  his  wing,  and,  winking  his  left  eye  lazily 
at  the  professor,  deliberately  flew  away,  cheered 
by  a  parting  salute  from  all  the  astonished  com- 
pany! 

Again,  one  cold  day  in  the  early  springtime, 
while  apparently  absorbed  in  schemes  to  de- 
stroy the  chinch  bug,  or  possibly  in  thoughts  of 
"Bonny  Jean,"  he  rode  his  pony  into  a  swollen 
ford  of  the  Wakarusa,  and,  almost  before  he 
knew  it,  was  floating  down  the  stream.  Aroused 
from  his  reverie  by  the  cold  bath,  he  quickly 
turned  his  pony  around,  and  by  good  luck  and 
the  strength  of  his  animal,  finally  gained  the 
ford,  and  made  his  way  to  the  bank. 

Having  secured  a  great  many  specimens  by 
these  excursions  in  the  field,  much  labor  was  ex- 
pended upon  them  in  the  study  and  laboratory. 
Of  course  I  only  helped  in  the  field,  but  we  both 
worked  hard  and  long.  The  lamps  in  our  room 
in  North  College  were  almost  the  last  in  the 
city  to  be  extinguished. 

One  very  dark,  rainy  night  about  twelve 
o'clock,  we  started  down  to  our  boarding  place 
on  Kentucky  street,  near  the  Central  School  build- 
ing. Guided  by  an  occasional  flash  of  lightning, 
we  had  safely  made  our  way  down  to  Tennessee 


192  Reminiscences. 

street,  straying,  however,  on  account  of  the  dark- 
ness, considerably  from  our  usual  course.  Ten- 
nessee street  was  at  this  time  impassible  for 
teams,  being  gullied  in  places  to  the  depth  of 
seven  or  eight  feet  by  recent  rains.  Just  as  we 
were  about  to  cross  the  street  it  began  to  rain 
hard,  and  we  started  to  run,  when,  lighted  by  a 
flash,  I  saw  my  comrade  disappear  in  one  of  the 
deepest  gullies.  Stopping  short  on  the  brink, 
I  waited  developments.  Hearing  nothing,  I 
called.  No  answer.  Then  came  a  sort  of  muf- 
fled, splashing,  spluttering  noise,  followed  by  a 
call  for  help.  Reaching  down  as  far  as  I  could, 
and  catching  hold  of  a  muddy  hand,  I  drew  out 
the  most  forlorn,  woe-begone,  bedraggled-ap- 
pearing professor  ever  seen  in  Lawrence.  By 
making  a  long  detour  around  the  gullies,  we 
reached  our  boarding  place  without  further  mis- 
hap, but  firmly  resolved  to  call  the  attention  of 
the  street  commissioner  to  some  needed  repairs 
on  Tennessee  street. 

In  the  course  of  three  or  four  years  nearly  all 
departments  of  natural  history  represented  in 
the  field  around  the  city  had  been  pretty  thor- 
oughly examined,  and  it  became  necessary  to 
try  newer  fields.  Western  Kansas  and  Colorado 
were  repeatedly  visited,  and  many  valuable  speci- 


Reminiscences.  198 

meris  obtained,  some  of  which  were  quite  unique. 
For  instance,  the  professor  found,  among  other 
rare  specimens,  several  skeletons  of  the  Mcgalo- 
saurus,  and  the  only  piece  of  fossilized  shark  skin 
ever  discovered.  He  also  "got  a  corner,"  as  it 
were,  on  a  sort  of  double -jointed,  back-action 
beetle,  familiarly  known  as  Amblychila  cylindrl- 
fornds,  rated  among  naturalists  at  $15  to  $20 
each.  The  few  obtained  by  early  naturalists  had 
died  early,  without  issue,  and  no  one  knew  where 
to  find  any  more.  Hence  their  high  price.  Pro- 
fessor Snow,  with  characteristic  skill  and  energy, 
soon  learning  their  habits  and  habitat,  secured 
enough  in  a  few  days  to  "-bear"  all  the  bug 
markets  of  the* world !  One  of  the  professor's 
pupils  then  took  np  the  business,  and,  in  less 
than  a  year,  ran  the  price  down  to  half  a  dollar 
a  bug,  with  no  takers  at  that,  and  plenty  of  bugs 
left  over !  The  price  has  never  recovered,  and 
the  once  silver-mounted  AmUychila  cylindri- 
formis  is  now  but  a  drug  (or  bug)  in  the  market. 
One  day,  while  collecting  in  the  western  part 
of  the  State,  the  professor  found  a  beautiful 
specimen  —  a  fine  young  rattlesnake.  Wishing 
to  preserve  him  without  bruising,  he  grasped  the 
reptile  firmly  but  gently  around  the  neck  close 

—13 


Reminiscences. 


to  the  head,  and  tenderly  carried  him  to  camp. 
Having  no  chloroform  or  other  anaesthetic  at 
hand  with  which  to  put  him  to  sleep,  he  brought 
out  a  bottle  of  alcohol  in  which  to  let  him  die  in 
a  drunken  stupor.  Bat  when  the  professor,  for- 
getting the  proverbial  wisdom  of  the  serpent, 
attempted  to  make  him  drink  by  thrusting  his 
tail  in  the  liquor,  the  intelligent  creature  resented 
the  indignity  by  a  sharp  reminder  of  the  end 
with  which  he  was  accustomed  to  take  his  drinks. 
The  professor  took  the  hint,  and  after  cording 
his  finger  and  sucking  out  the  poison,  put  him 
in  right  end  first,  and  Crotulm  horridus  was 
satisfied. 

WATER-GAP  CANON  AND  THE  APACHES. 

After  our  naturalist  had  thoroughly  searched 
the  rich  fields  of  Kansas  and  Colorado  with  bug 
net,  pick,  and  hammer,  he  began  to  make  long 
summer  excursions  into  the  wild,  Apache-haunted 
regions  of  New  Mexico. 

One  summer,  taking  with  him  his  little  boy, 
Professor  H.  S.  S.  Smith  and  several  student  as- 
sistants, he  located  his  camp  twenty-five  miles 
from  Socorro,  in  Water-gap  Canon,  a  very 
picturesque  place  and  abounding  in  specimens. 
All  were  happy,  and  the  work  was  progress- 


Reminiscences.  195 

ing  finely,  when,  one  afternoon,  two  cowboys 
came  riding  furiously  into  camp  on  foaming 
horses,  and  announced  that  the  Apaches  were 
on  the  war  path  and  had  killed  several  teamsters 
between  the  camp  and  Socorro.  Tanned  faces 
blanched  with  fear,  and  the  cold  perspiration 
started.  The  collectors  and  neighboring  miners 
were  called  in,  and  a  council  held.  It  was  de- 
cided to  guard  the  camp  and  wait  for  assistance. 
For  three  days  the  camp  was  in  a  state  of  siege, 
expecting  an  attack  at  any  moment.  All  were 
constantly  on  the  alert,  with  guns  always  ready. 
Even  the  cooking  is  said  to  have  been  done  with 
a  skillet  in  one  hand  and  a  rifle  in  the  other. 
At  last,  worn  out  with  watching  and  waiting  for 
help,  they  resolved  to  start  for  town  the  next 
morning.  This  was  a  fearful  tiling  to  do,  for 
the  road  was  lined  with  fit  places  for  ambus- 
cades; but  they  must  go.  The  best  possible 
preparation  was  made,  and  they  moved  out  of 
camp.  The  line  of  march  placed  those  with 
guns  in  front.  Professor  Snow  leading.  Those 
with  baggage  brought  up  the  rear,  under  com- 
mand of  Professor  Smith.  Thus  they  made 
their  fearful  march,  passing  broken  wagons  and. 
murdered  drivers,  and  at  last  arrived  safe  in 


106  Rern  in  iscen  ces. 

Socorro,  the  most   thoroughly   frightened   bug 
hunters  ever  seen  in  the  mountains. 

By  means  of  these  and  many  other  excur- 
sions, the  professor  had  long  ago  not  only 
mastered  many  departments  of  natural  history, 
but  also  discovered  a  number  of  new  species, 
and  become  a  recognized  authority  on  ento- 
mology. Long  may  he  flourish,  and  never  may 
his  shadow  grow  less  ! 

PROFESSOR    F.   W.  BARDWELL. 

The  appointment  of  Professor  F.  W.  Bard- 
well  at  the  end  of  the  third,  year  to  the  chair  of 
Mathematics  and  Engineering  was  a  great  relief 
to  Professor  Snow,  and  also  a  great  gain  to  the 
University.  Professor  Bard  well  was  a  man  of 
superior  ability,  a  hard  student,  a  successful 
teacher,  and  popular  with  his  pupils. 

He  was  also  of  quite  an  inventive  turn  of 
mind.  On  several  inventions  he  obtained  pat- 
ents. His  last  was  a  water  wheel,  by  means  of 
which  he  was  sure  that  ships  could  cross  the 
ocean  in  from  one  to  two  days  less  time  than  is 
now  required.  This  invention  he  died  without 
perfecting. 

He  also  published  an  arithmetic,  which  is  said 


Reminiscences.  197 

to  have  had  considerable  merit,  but  owing  to 
his  death  soon  after,  it  was  never  revised  nor 
pushed  into  notice. 

His  last  work  for  the  University  was  a  sum- 
mer trip  to  Colorado  in  1878,  to  take  obser- 
vations on  the  total  solar  eclipse  that  year. 
Professor  Frank  O.  Marvin  and  I  went  as  his 
assistants.  He  was  in  ill  health  before  starting, 
but  in  that  bracing  atmosphere  expected  soon  to 
recover.  Leaving  him  at  Manitou  we  made  a 
ten  days'  trip  in  the  mountains.  On  our  return, 
instead  of  finding  him  better,  as  we  expected, 
we  found  that,  growing  rapidly  worse,  he  had 
packed  up  his  instruments  and  gone  home  sev- 
eral days  before  our  arrival.  A  few  clays  later 
he  died.  In  his  death  the  University  lost  an 
able  professor  and  a  most  excellent  man. 

PROFESSOR  BYRON  C.  SMITH. 

Byron  C.  Smith,  the  first  Professor  of  Greek, 
began  work  in  the  University  in  the  fall  of  1872. 
He  was  undoubtedly  one  of  the  brightest  men 
ever  connected  with  this  institution.  To  a  quick, 
clear,  strong  intellect  were  joined  an  enthusias- 
tic temperament,  a  sound  judgment,  and  broad 
scholarship,  unusually  mature  in  one  so  young. 
While  he  took  especial  delight  in  the  work  of  his 


1 08  Reminiscences. 

own  department,  he  found  great  pleasure  also  in 
gleaning  from  many  other  fields.  For  instance, 
he  used  to  read  geometry  as  a  recreation,  mem- 
orize Latin  poems  as  a  pleasure,  and  fairly  revel 
in  the  works  of  German  metaphysicians.  I  have 
known  him  to  memorize  thirty  lines  of  Ovid  in 
twenty-five  minutes,  and  be  able  to  repeat  them 
weeks  afterwards.  Often  in  camp,  though  tired 
and  hungry,  I  have  known  him  almost  forget  to 
eat,  in  his  eagerness  to  prove  some  proposition 
in  mental  philosophy.  His  enthusiasm  was  con- 
tagious. His  scholars  all  caught  it,  and  were 
ready  to  do  anything  that  he  suggested. 

On  one  occasion  he  planned  a  picnic  to  cele- 
brate the  birthday  of  Plato.  Each  pupil  taking 
part  was  to  assume  the  name  and  character  of 
some  friend  of  the  philosopher,  and  respond  to 
an  appropriate  toast  with  a  fitting  sentiment. 
Owing  to  the  sickness  of  the  professor,  the  picnic 
never  came  off.  I  am  very  sorry  it  failed,  for  it 
must  have  been  a  long  time  since  Plato's  birth- 
day was  celebrated,  and  I  should  like  to  have 
had  the  last  celebration  made  by  the  students  of 
the  University  of  Kansas. 


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